Growth of Listeria monocytogenes in meat juice under a modified atmosphere at 4°C with or without members of a microbial association from chilled lamb under a modified atmosphere

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes together with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was grown in axenic cultures in meat juice under an atmosphere enriched with carbon dioxide at 4 o C. The size of the final population of listeriae was determined by that of the initial inoculum. Growth of L. monocytogenes ceased with glucose depletion. Glucose-6-phosphate was not catabolized by listeriae. In aerobic axenic cultures generation times of L. monocytogenes were shorter and glucose depletion was faster than with a carbon dioxide-enriched atmosphere. Oxidation of L- and D-lactic to acetic acid was probably associated with the subsequent die-off of L. monocytogenes