Influence of different factors on the inactivation of Salmonella senftenberg by pulsed electric fields.

The influence of growth phase, cell concentration, pH and conductivity of treatment medium on the inactivation of Salmonella senftenberg by high electric field pulses (HELP) was studied. Cells were more resistant to HELP treatments at the beginning of the logarithmic phase and at the stationary phase. Microbial inactivation was not a function of the initial cell concentration. At constant input voltage, electric field strength obtained in the treatment chamber depended on medium conductivity. At the same electric field strength, conductivity did not influence S. senftenberg inactivation. At the same conductivity, inactivation of S. senftenberg was bigger at neutral than acidic pH.