Use of bioluminescence to model the thermal inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium in the presence of a competitive microflora

Abstract

The survival of Salmonella typhimurium was investigated by bioluminescence and standard plating techniques in pure cultures and in the presence of competitors after the cultures were heated to 55°C for increasing lengths of time. Decimal reduction (D) values increased from 0.43 to 2.09 rain in the presence of 108 CFU of competitors ml-1, indicating a significant protective effect.