By: Andrew Routledge

Andrew Routledge — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:55:41 +0000

Reggie! Here’s another couple of points about the destruction of salmonella that you should consider.
The fatty enveloping of salmonella will start to disperse at temperatures above fifty degrees centigrade. This will leave the bacterial cell exposed and less equiped to defend itself.
Also, it is believed, although not entirely proven, that salmonella is distroyed in direct sunlight because the ultra violet rays, particularly UVA, destroy the bacterial DNA.

By: Andrew Routledge

Andrew Routledge — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:47:36 +0000

Hi Reggie, Those temperatures are in centigrade. Remember that this bacteria thrives in living organisms whose body temperatures range from +/- thirty seven degrees Centigrade in human beings to around forty three degrees centigrade in birds. Any raise in temperature will put the bacteria under stress. The temperatures quoted are scientific fact and not a recommendation to cook at those temperatures by any means. Beef should reach a tenperature of at least sixty five degree in the center, checking with a kitchen spike thermometer. (Using one of those thermometers is quite an art form in itself, I often used to prove to my chefs that they are not placing the needle in the right place by finding a spot that showed a reading of up to twenty five degrees less than the reading they got. I would be amused to whatch their faces go white as the needle dropped. I always suggest practicing a lot with the needle until you get the hang of it). Other forms of meat such as pork and chicken should be cooked until they have completely lost all their pinkness including within the bone cavities. Never cook frozen meat or partly frozen meat. Freezing does not destroy salmonella. Salmonella will continue to develop inside your meat as it is coking. The reason for this is because salmonella has a lipopolysaccharide envelope. This is a fatty casing which helps to protect the bacteria from the bodies natural immune system’s defences. The fatty envelope helps to camouflage the bacteria’s protein spotted outer casing from the immune system’s anti-bodies which only know how to recognize and attach themselves to specific proteins. The body knows which anti-body to manufacture against a specific protein through prior exposure to bacteria posessing the protein in question. By having a fatty envelope salmonella bacteria are able, at least in part to avoid the bodies bacterial recognition mechanisms. This same fatty shell also helps the bacteria to resist destruction by freezing.
Partly thawed pieces of meat will not be cooked in the middle by the time the outer lawyers are over cooked. In addition there will be inner lawyers which are kept at an ideal temperature for bacterial growth through resistance provided by the inner frozen core.

By: Reggie

Reggie — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:42:03 +0000

Are those temperatures Celcius or Farhenheit? They seem low to me.

Comments on: Salmonellosis, A world Wide Scourge?

By: Andrew Routledge

By: Andrew Routledge

By: Reggie