Effect of cooking procedures of kiymali pide, a traditional Turkish fast-food, on destruction of Escherichia coli O157:H7

The objective of the present study was to obtain data about cooking time and temperature of kiymali pide in the restaurants and to investigate thermal inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 during experimental kiymali pide making. A field study was conducted in randomly selected 23 of 87 pide restaurants. Processing parameters including oven temperature, cooking period and post-cooking temperature were determined. Kiymali pide samples were prepared using ground beef filling experimentally inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 (7.6 log10 CFU/g). Pide samples were cooked at a conventional oven at 180 °C for 180, 240, 270, 300 and 330 s. Results of the current study suggest that cooking kiymali pide at 180 °C for at least 330 s (5.5 min) may provide sufficient food safety assurance (≥ 6 log10 CFU/g) for E. coli O157:H7.

► Kiymali pide made of ground beef and dough is a popular traditional food in Turkey. ► Kiymali pide should be considered as a high risk food regarding E. coli O157: H7. ► The most important antibacterial barrier in the production of kiymali pide is cooking. ► Thermal validation of kiymali pide for inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 is essential.