Thermal inactivation and growth potential of Listeria innocua in rehydrated salt-cured cod prepared for ready-to-eat products

The aim of this work was to study thermal inactivation at 55 and 60 °C and growth potential at 4 and 8 °C of Listeria innocua in rehydrated salt-cured cod prepared for ready-to-eat (RTE) products. The results demonstrated that both level of salt stress and matrix i.e. rehydrated or fresh cod muscle, did affect the thermal inactivation of L. innocua towards non-linearity with an upward concavity. During subsequent storage of the heat treated samples, the lag time of the strain was 9–10 days regardless of salt stress level or matrix. In the raw products (controls), however, the lag time varied. The results indicate that detailed knowledge about the sequences of salt stress before heat treatment is of limited importance for the growth potential of L. innocua in heat treated RTE products.