Study of butter fat content in milk on the inactivation of Listeria innocua ATCC 51742 by thermo-sonication

Ultrasound combined with heat treatment has yielded favorable results in the inactivation of microorganisms; however, the composition of food influences the rate of microbial inactivation. The objective of this research was to study the effect of butter fat content in milk on the inactivation of Listeria innocua and compositional parameters after thermo-sonication. Four butter fat contents in milk were evaluated at 63 °C for 30 min of sonication (Hielscher® UP400S, 400 W, 24 kHz, 120 μm amplitude). Results showed that inactivation of Listeria cells occurs first in fat free milk, and that the rate of inactivation decreases with increasing fat content. No degradation of protein content or color variation was observed after the treatments. The pH dropped to 6.22, and lactic acid content showed an increase of 0.015% after the treatment; solids-non-fat, density and freezing point decreased. During storage life, growth of mesophiles was retarded with sonication.Industrial relevanceUltrasound is an emerging technology that has shown positive effects in milk processing. Listeria monocytogenes represent one of the main foodborne pathogenic microorganisms in the food industry. Results of this research show that thermo-sonication is a viable technology capable of inactivating Listeria cells in milk and extending shelf-life without significant nutritional or physicochemical changes.