Response Surface Plots for the Behavioral Pattern of Yersinia enterocolitica in Chocolate Milk as Affected by Trans-Cinnamaldehyde, a Spice Essential Oil Constituent

Response surface plots were generated to determine
the behavior of a native food isolate of Yersinia
enterocolitica CFR 2301 in chocolate milk with added transcinnamaldehyde,
an active spice essential oil constituent. The
minimuminhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and
MBC) for Y. enterocolitica in broth systems were 0.1 and 0.3
μl/ml, respectively, while in chocolate milk, the MBC was
0.9μl/ml. In chocolate milk devoid of cinnamaldehyde, the
culture of Y. enterocolitica CFR 2301 was able to reach riskcausing
population levels in 12 h at 30°C. In the presence of
cinnamaldehyde, an inactivation model was generated for the
behavior of Y. enterocolitica in chocolate milk, which
revealed that, irrespective of initial inoculum levels, the
death time (DT) was primarily influenced by transcinnamaldehyde
concentrations and incubation temperatures.
The death times were found to decrease with higher
cinnamaldehyde concentrations and incubation temperatures.
Validation of the model revealed the adequacy of predictions
derived for this inactivation model and potential application
of compatible possibility to develop food formulations with
inhibitory principles.