MODELAGEM MATEMÁTICA DO CRESCIMENTO DE PSEUDOMONAS SPP. EM CARNE SUÍNA

Abstract

The aim of this study was to model the growth of Pseudomonas spp. in refrigerated pork at temperatures of 4.5 °C, 7.1 °C, 9.1 °C, and 10.4 °C using the ComBase software. Growth data of "Pseudomonas spp." in pork were acquired from Zomer's work (1992) available in the ComBase database, and the Baranyi and Roberts model was fitted to the growth curves by establishing primary and secondary modeling. It can be stated that the model showed excellent performance in describing the growth of Pseudomonas spp. in pork at the four evaluated temperatures, with R2 values between 0.971 and 0.993 and Standard Errors of the fits close to zero. Predictions of growth under temperature fluctuation conditions highlight the importance of maintaining the cold chain, as even a slight alteration in these conditions can lead to a significant increase in the growth of the microorganism under study. Thus, the use of predictive microbiology software proves to be an important tool for the food industry, mainly assisting in the control of shelf life and preservation of meat and meat products.