M: Food Microbiology & Safety JFS M: Food Microbiology and Safety Active Packaging of Fresh Chicken Breast, with Allyl Isothiocyanate (AITC) in Combination with Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) to Control the Growth of Pathogens JOONGMIN SHIN,BRUCE HARTE,ELLIOT RYSER, AND SUSAN SELKE ABSTRACT: Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium are major bacterial pathogens associated with poultry products. Ally isothiocyanate (AITC), a natural antimicrobial compound, is reportedly effective against these pathogenic organisms. A device was designed for the controlled release of AITC with modified atmosphere packag- ing (MAP), and then evaluated for its ability to control the growth of L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium on raw chicken breast during refrigerated storage. In order to obtain controlled release during the test period, a glass vial was filled with AITC and triglyceride. It was then sealed using high-density polyethylene film. The release of AITC was controlled by the concentration (mole fraction) of AITC in the triglyceride and by the AITC vapor permeability through the film. The fresh chicken samples were inoculated with one or the other of the pathogens at 10 4 CFU/g, and the packages (with and without AITC-controlled release device) were flushed with ambient air or 30% CO 2 /70% N 2 before sealing, and then stored at 4 ◦ C for up to 21 d. The maximum reduction in MAP plus AITC (compared to MAP alone) was 0.77 log CFU/g for L. monocytogenes and 1.3 log CFU/g for S. typhimurium. The color of the chicken breast meat was affected by the concentration of AITC. Overall, a release rate of 0.6 μg/h of AITC was found to not affect the color, whereas at 1.2 μg/h of AITC the surface of the chicken was discolored. Keywords: allyl isothiocyanate, antimicrobial packaging, fresh chicken, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella ty- phimurium DT104 Introduction F resh chicken is commonly consumed in the U.S.A. due to its nutritional profile, versatility, and low price (Greene 1998). In- creased demand for fresh poultry and a desire to transport to more distant markets have increased the need to extend the shelf life of poultry products (Jimenez and others 1997). Chicken is a highly perishable product even when stored in chilled conditions. Chicken and other types of poultry have higher numbers of bacterial pathogens and spoilage microorganisms than almost any other food (Synder 1998). The normal shelf life is less than 5 d after slaughter (Ellis and others 2005). Salmonella typhimurium is one of the most common bac- terial pathogens associated with poultry products (Mead 2004). Gastrointestinal symptoms of salmonellosis that can develop after ingesting as few as 15 to 20 cells include nausea, vomit- ing, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and headaches (U.S. FDA 1992; Ellis and others 2005). Fisker and others (2003) reported that S. typhimurium causes the highest rate of hospitalizations of any Salmonella serovar in Denmark. Listeria monocytogenes is a major threat to the food industry as a postprocessing contaminant, and is able to grow in chill-stored poultry meat (Hart and others 1991; Bajard and others 1996). It MS 20090424 Submitted 5/11/2009, Accepted 11/4/2009. Author Shin is with Food Science, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Authors Harte and Selke are with School of Packaging, Michigan State Univ., East Lans- ing, MI 48824-1223. Author Ryser is with Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824. Direct inquiries to author Harte (E-mail: harte@msu.edu). is well adapted to food and food processing environments that may restrict the growth of other pathogens. Listeria monocytogenes primarily affects pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. A person with listeriosis will com- monly have fever, muscle aches, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea (CDC 2005). Many natural or synthetic chemical preservatives can be used to control pathogenic organisms (Deans and Ritchie 1987; Zaika 1988). However, direct addition of antimicrobial active agents to foods may have only a limited benefit since they are easily volatilized or neutralized by contact with the food (Quintavalla and Vicini 2002). Hence, the controlled release of volatile antimicrobials from the packaging material may be a more effective way to control microbial growth. Ally-isothiocyanate (AITC) is a major plant flavor compo- nent found in the Brassicaceae family, and includes mustard, horseradish, and wasabi (also known as Japanese horseradish). This naturally pungent volatile component has been used as a preser- vative since the early part of the 20th century, with many research studies having demonstrated a positive effect against a broad range of microorganisms (Isshiki and others 1992; Lin and others 2000; Mari and others 2002; Winther and Nielsen 2006). AITC vapor is a more effective antimicrobial agent than liquid AITC. Sekiyama and others (1996) reported that AITC vapor was 500 to 1000 times more effective than the same amount of liquid in agar. Accord- ing to Suhr and Nielsen (2003), the minimum inhibitory concen- tration to control fungal growth was 250 times lower for AITC in the gas phase than in the liquid phase. Use of AITC in food sys- tems is limited because of its strong odor, which can significantly C  2010 Institute of Food Technologists R  Vol. 75, Nr. 2, 2010—JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE M65 doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01465.x Further reproduction without permission is prohibited