Thermal inactivation of ileal loop-reactive Clostridium perfringens type A strains in phosphate buffer and beef gravy.

The thermal resistance of spore crops produced from each of two ileal loop-reactive strains of Clostridium perfringens type A was determined in two suspending vehicles consisting of 0.067 M (pH 7.0) phosphate buffer and a commercial beef gravy. D115.6 values obtained in buffer and enumerated after pretreatment with sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and recovery in plating medium containing lysozyme were two- to threefold greater than those obtained without this treatment. D115.6 values obtained with beef gravy were less than those obtained in buffer with or without lysozyme; however, the D98.9 and D104.4 values were 1.3 to 2 times greater than those obtained in buffer with lysozyme. The z values were within the ranges reported by previous investigators.