<p>There have been some important developments in how science understands and predicts Listeria growth in cut melons. This is good news for the industry, which recently has seen outbreaks of Listeria which resulted in consumer fatalities.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Researchers from the University of Florida have been researching the "growth kinetics" of Listeria in cut melons at different temperatures. In the study, whole cantaloupes, watermelons and honeydews were cut into cubes and inoculated with four strains of Listeria from recent food related outbreaks.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Samples were then stored at a range of different temperatures. The results were compiled to create mathematical models of Listeria growth at different temperatures. The current models predict faster growth of Listeria vs. Salmonella and E. coli at temperatures below 20°C.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Researchers believe these models can be used for microbial risk assessment, which could be useful for food safety applications focused on preventing Listeria outbreaks.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S074000201300155X" target="_new"> Modeling the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on cut cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon, by Daniluk et al. </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
