Control of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated in beetroot or watermelon juice by combined treatments with organic acid or lemon (Citrus limon) extract and mild heat

The study aimed to evaluate the synergistic interaction of organic acids (OAAs) or lemon extract (LE) plus mild heat (MH; 55 °C) against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated in beetroot and watermelon juices. A mixed culture cocktail of E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium or L. monocytogenes was inoculated in beetroot or watermelon juice, followed by treatments with MH, citric acid \(+\) $+$ MH, malic acid \(+\) $+$ MH, tartaric acid \(+\) $+$ MH, and LE \(+\) $+$ MH. Approximately \(<\) $<$ 2.0-log reductions in the number of E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes were observed when these bacteria were heated in juices at 55 °C for 5 min. A combination of 1.0% OAAs or 20% LE and MH (55 °C) for 5 min resulted in an additional log-reduction in the count of E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes by 2.2–5.0, 4.5–5.0, and 1.5–5.0, respectively.