LAUSR

Abstract This study aimed to assess the effect of storage temperature and fruit matrix on the survival of L. monocytogenes after a gastrointestinal simulation. The growth of L. monocytogenes on different matrices (fresh-cut pear and melon and synthetic growth medium as a control) and storage temperature (1, 5, 10 and 20 °C) was evaluated. Subsequently, the ability of the pathogen on different fruit matrices to overcome the gastrointestinal simulation was evaluated. The highest reduction in the population of L. monocytogenes on fresh-cut pear and melon subjected to the gastrointestinal simulation was after 6 days of storage at 5 °C (0.84 and 2.12 log reduction on the pear and melon, respectively). Conversely, higher survival ratios of L. monocytogenes in both matrices were observed at 1 °C, even with logarithmic increases after the whole gastrointestinal simulation during the experiment. At 20 °C, the survival capacity of L. monocytogenes was higher than that under storage at 5 and 10 °C when grown on fresh-cut pear, whereas this was not observed on fresh-cut melon. In general, under the proper storage temperature of fresh-cut fruit (5 °C) and after 1 day of storage, the L. monocytogenes on the melon was more sensitive than that on the pear, and this behaviour was maintained for up to 9 days. The ability of L. monocytogenes to overcome the gastrointestinal tract was not enhanced when the pathogen grew on fresh-cut pear and melon under the proper storage temperature.