Abstract
Microwave heating of food is an emerging treatment where the effect on the pathogenic microorganisms that may be present is unknown. This research evaluated the survival of Escherichia coli ATCC CRM 8739 inoculated in BHI broth as a function of microwave treatment at 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 W for a process time of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 s, its inactivation kinetics and the best conditions to achieve its elimination in the matrix studied. The survival of E.coli ATCC CRM 8739 decreased as a function of the increase in microwave power and the treatment time to which it was subjected, achieving its elimination at a minimum power of 400 W during an exposure time of 80 s and using a minimum time of 60 s at 700 W, exhibiting inactivation kinetics adjusted to the Weibull model, presenting an increase in the sensitivity of the strains (parameter n) as the power of the microwave treatment increased. The best conditions to achieve inactivation by numerical optimization are achieved using a power of 660.79 W for a time of 73.15s.
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