Evaluation of Peroxyacetic Acid for Reducing Low Levels of Salmonella on Laboratory-Inoculated and Naturally Contaminated In-Shell Hazelnuts.

In-shell hazelnuts may be exposed to many sources of Salmonella during harvest and postharvest processing. Chemical sanitizers, such as peroxyacetic acid (PAA), are used by some postharvest processors in an attempt to reduce microbial loads; however, data are limited on its efficacy to reduce Salmonella on in-shell hazelnuts under conditions relevant to the industry. This […]

A Quantitative Assessment of the Risk of Human Salmonellosis Arising from the Consumption of Pecans in the United States.

A quantitative risk assessment was conducted to assess the risk of human salmonellosis acquired from consumption of pecans in the United States. The model considered the potential for Salmonella survival, growth, and recontamination of pecans from the sheller to the consumer, including steps such as immersion in water, drying, conditioning, cracking, partitioning, and storage. Five […]

Evaluation of radio-frequency heating in controlling Salmonella enterica in raw shelled almonds.

This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of radio-frequency (RF) heating to reduce Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis, Typhimurium, and Senftenberg in raw shelled almonds compared to conventional convective heating, and the effect of RF heating on quality by measuring changes in the color and degree of lipid oxidation. Agar-grown cells of three pathogens were […]

Modeling the risk of salmonellosis from consumption of pistachios produced and consumed in the United States.

The risk of salmonellosis from consumption of pistachios produced and consumed in the U.S. was assessed through quantitative microbial risk assessment. Data on Salmonella prevalence and concentration on pistachios, nut crop volume, storage times and temperatures during processing and handling, and reductions during storage or from roasting were derived from laboratory experiments, published literature, and […]

A Quantitative Assessment of the Risk of Human Salmonellosis Arising from the Consumption of Almonds in the United States: The Impact of Preventive Treatment Levels.

The presence of Salmonella on almonds continues to result in product-related outbreaks and recalls in the United States. In this study, the impact of microbial reduction treatment levels (1 to 5 log CFU) on the risk of human salmonellosis from the consumption of almond kernels in the United States was evaluated. An exposure model, including […]

Comparing Thermal Process Validation Methods for Salmonella Inactivation on Almond Kernels.

Ongoing regulatory changes are increasing the need for reliable process validation methods for pathogen reduction processes involving low-moisture products; however, the reliability of various validation methods has not been evaluated. Therefore, the objective was to quantify accuracy and repeatability of four validation methods (two biologically based and two based on time-temperature models) for thermal pasteurization […]