Modeling heat transfer and inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in precooked meat products in Argentina using the finite element method

The presence of Escherichia coli is linked with sanitary deficiencies and undercooking of meat products. Recent studies have detected E. coli O157:H7 in black blood sausages. Minimum time–temperature specifications to kill the bacteria were obtained by numerical simulations of the microscopic heat conduction equation using the finite element method, and calculating the temperature profile of the sausage and the population of E. coli at the coldest point during heating. The model was validated by heating sausages in a water-bath. The effects of heat transfer coefficients and water temperatures on the required time to achieve an inactivation value (IV) of 12log are reported. Macroscopic heat balances were simultaneously solved to consider the temperature drop in the water batch as a function of the ratio between the mass of thermally treated sausage and the heat capacity of the system.