Control of Listeria monocytogenes in sliced dry-cured Iberian ham by high pressure processing in combination with an eco-friendly packaging based on chitosan, nisin and phytochemicals from rice bran

Abstract In the last few years, severaloutbreaks caused by Listeria monocytogenes from meat products have been reported, implying potential health problems that can be very serious for the population at risk. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of high hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP) combined with chitosan-based films on the reduction of L. monocytogenes inoculated onto the surface of sliced dry-cured Iberian ham. Chitosan-based films used in this study contained nisin and/or a rice bran extract as antimicrobial agents. A process of 600 MPa for 8 min was established as optimum in this product, although this treatment alone was not effective enough and therefore must be combined with other technologies following a multiple hurdle approach. The combination of HPP with nisin or oryzanol chitosan based-films was the best treatments tested, reducing the population of L. monocytogenes by 6 log cfu/g.