IAFP 2009 Program Book and Abstract Book - AB62

P1-03 Dial vs. Digital Instant Read Thermometers: Availability and Accuracy for Consumers TIFFANI ZEMMER, Sandra McCurdy and Courtney Staszak University of Idaho, Family Consumer Science, Moscow, ID, USA Introduction: Consumers are urged to use an instant read food thermometer to ensure safely cooked ground beef patties. While a tip sensitive thermometer is often recommended by food safety professionals for measuring endpoint in ground beef patties, this message is not routinely communicated to consumers. Two types of instant read thermometers are generally available to consumers: dial types, where temperature is measured along the stem, and digital types, which are tip sensitive. Purpose: This study investigated whether the availability of dial and digital instant read food thermometers has changed in 6 years and the accuracy of these thermometers in measuring the endpoint temperature in hamburger patties. Methods: A survey comparing the availability of dial and digital instant read food thermometers in grocery, department, hardware, drug/variety and specialty stores was conducted in 168 stores in ten counties in Idaho and Washington State, replicating a 2001 thermometer survey. Information collected included manufacturer, model number, price, dial or digital, and instruction availability, and the results were compared to the previous survey findings. Accuracy of 3 each of the most prevalent dial and digital thermometer brands was tested against a thermocouple in freshly cooked ground beef patties to identify whether the thermometers were reliable in assessing endpoint temperature during common consumer cooking methods. Results: The availability of instant read food thermometers in Washington and Idaho has not changed significantly in 6 years: stores carrying dial thermometers have increased from 62% to 68%, whereas digital thermometer availability has remained the same, at 46%. 76% of the stores surveyed carried instant read food thermometers. 56% of the temperature readings from digital thermometers were within 1.1°C of the thermocouple standard, while 22% of dial thermometers met this standard. Significance: The less available digital thermometer is more successful in determining the end point temperature of hamburger patties than dial thermometers. P1-04 Toxoplasma in Swine and Cattle YNES R. ORTEGA and Maria Torres University of Georgia, CFS, Griffin, GA, USA Introduction: Toxoplasmosis is a common cause of infection in warm blooded animals, including humans. Infection generally occurs by consuming cysts in raw or undercooked meats or by accidental ingestion of oocysts shed in the feces of infected cats. Toxoplasmosis in humans can be mild but is often severe in the immunocompromised and in congenitally infected children. Consumption of pork meat is considered high risk for acquisition of toxoplasmosis. Swine, along with sheep and game animals, have been mostly associated with Toxoplasma transmission to man; however, the role of beef cattle in Toxoplasma transmission has not been fully characterized. Purpose: The objective of this project was to better define the role of beef in Toxoplasmosis. Methods: Fifty bovine and 62 porcine samples from the US and 200 bovine and 200 porcine samples from Peru were examined. The presence of Toxoplasma in these animals was determined by PCR and serological testing (western blot and indirect hemagglutination). Tissues and blood were collected from animals slaughtered for human consumption. Results: Of the US bovine samples examined, 14 (28%) were positive by western blot, 12% by hemagglutination and 8% by PCR. Of the bovine samples from Peru, 40 (20%) were positive by western blot, 9 (4.5%) by hemagglutination, and 1 (0.5%) by PCR. None was positive by tissue culture. Of the US porcine samples examined, 11 (17.7%) were positive by western blot, 7 (11.3%) by hemagglutination, 10 (16.1%) by PCR and 1 (1.6%) by in vitro testing. Of the porcine samples examined from Peru, 6 (3%) were positive by western blot and 2 (1%) by agglutination. None of them were positive by PCR or by tissue culture. Significance: Cattle and swine slaughtered for human consumption were seropositive to Toxoplasma. The parasite was also identified in these samples and thus potentially a source of human infection. P1-05 Evaluation of Fermentation/Drying and High Pressure Processing on Viability of Trichinella spiralis Larvae in Raw Pork and in Genoa Salami JEFF CALL, Anna C. Porto-Fett, Brad Shoyer, Claudette Pshebniski, George Cocoma, John B. Luchansky and Delores Hill USDA, Wyndmoor, PA, USA Introduction: Relatively little information is known on the effectiveness of high pressure processing (HPP) when used in combination with fermentation and drying to inactivate Trichinella spiralis larvae in Ready-to-Eat pork products. Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of HPP and fermentation/drying to inactivate Trichinella spiralis larvae in both infected pig muscle and Genoa salami produced with trichinae infected pork. Methods: In part A, in each of two trials 10 gram portions (2 replicates per treatment) of fresh pig masseter muscle (ca. 3.6 log larvae/g) were pressurized with either 70,000 or 87,000 psi (483 or 600 mPa, respectively) for 0.5 to 5.0 min. In part B, Genoa salami prepared with trichinae infected pork (ca. 2.3 larvae/g of salami batter) was fermented at 20°C for 6 h and then at 27°C for 26 h before being dried at 20°C for 40 h and then at 17°C as follows: (1) for 25 days (65 mm casing; aw 0.881 + 0.012) or 35 days (105 mm casing; aw 0.918 + 0.007), or (2) to a target aw of 0.920 that was attained between 11 to 17 days (65 mm casing; aw 0.920 + 0.006), or (3) to a target aw of 0.940 that was attained between 20 to 24 days (105 mm casing; aw 0.939 + 0.004). After drying, four chubs in each of three trials for each treatment were post-processed pressurized at 70,000 or 87,000 psi for 1 to 12 min. Results: T. spiralis was inactivated in masseter and Genoa salami by all treatments of fermentation/drying and/or HPP as confirmed by both microscopy and mouse bioassays. 62 — Abstract Book Poster

IAFP 2009 Program Book and Abstract Book

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