Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have developed a mathematical model providing optimal combinations of temperature, salt and smoke compounds to reduce microbial contamination of smoked salmon.Typically sold in vacuum packages that have a refrigerator shelf life of about three to eight weeks, smoked salmon can be susceptible to pathogenic microbes such as Listeria monocytogenes can live at refrigerator temperatures.
In their studies, researchers added salt and smoke compounds to cooked salmon, then inoculated the fish with Listeria monocytogenes. Next, the scientists exposed the salmon to a range of temperatures, from 104 degrees Fahrenheit to 131 degrees F to simulate commercial smokehouse processing.
Regarded as mid-range, these temps are higher than those used for cold-smoking, the most popular commercial salmon-smoking process, but are lower than those of the lesser-used commercial hot-smoking procedure.
The researchers determined that every 9 degree F increase in temperature resulted in a 10-fold increase in rates of inactivation of Listeria. They used this and other data from the study to create the mathematical model.
Source: Agricultural Research Service
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