Chill or Thrill? The Effect of Storage Temperature Regime on <i>Listeria</i> Growth in Fresh-Cut Fruit Cocktails.

ABSTRACT: Fresh-cut fruit salads (fruit cocktails) are marketed as a convenient food item with a limited shelf-life (4 days at 4 °C). Given rising electricity prices, increased cooling temperature during production, transport, and retail from 4 °C to 8 °C and extended shelf-life from four to eight days without compromising food safety are discussed. This study investigates the proliferation of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) fresh-cut fruit cocktails at three temperature regimes. The fruit cocktail, consisting of pineapple, red apples, cantaloupe, and red grapes, was inoculated with a clinical strain of L. monocytogenes (SLV 444; CCUG 69007) and stored at 4 °C, 8 °C, or a dynamic temperature regime (4 °C for one day, 8 °C for seven days). After four-day storage at 4 °C, gr

SUBMITTER: Alsanius BW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12563481 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature