Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus dynamics in/on variable (micro)structures of fish-based model systems at suboptimal temperatures

•Staphylococcus aureus is favoured by colonial morphology on solid surfaces.•Among model systems, S. Typhimurium dynamics are influenced by T.•Interaction of food intrinsic & extrinsic factors was found on microbial dynamics.

The limited knowledge concerning the influence of food (micro)structure on microbial dynamics decreases the accuracy of the developed predictive models, as most studies have mainly been based on experimental data obtained in liquid microbiological media or in/on real foods. The use of model systems has a great potential when studying this complex factor. Apart from the variability in (micro)structural properties, model systems vary in compositional aspects, as a consequence of their (micro)structural variation. In this study, different experimental food model systems, with compositional and physicochemical properties similar to fish patés, are developed to study the influence of food (micro)structure on microbial dynamics. The microbiological safety of fish products is of major importance given the numerous cases of salmonellosis and infections attributed to staphylococcus toxins. The model systems understudy represent food (micro)structures of liquids, aqueous gels, emulsions and gelled emulsions. The growth/inactivation dynamics and a modelling approach of combined growth and inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus, related to fish products, are investigated in/on these model systems at temperatures relevant to fish products' common storage (4 °C) and to abuse storage temperatures (8 and 12 °C). ComBase (http://www.combase.cc/) predictions compared with the maximum specific growth rate (μmax) values estimated by the Baranyi and Roberts model in the current study indicated that the (micro)structure influences the microbial dynamics. Overall, ComBase overestimated microbial growth at the same pH, aw and storage temperature. Finally, the storage temperature had also an influence on how much each model system affected the microbial dynamics.