Thermal Inactivation of Salmonella spp. Within Refrigerated or Frozen Turkey Burgers Following Pan Frying

Turkey burgers (ca. 1.25 or 2.5 cm thick) were inoculated (ca. 6.5 log CFU/g) with a Salmonella spp. cocktail, stored at 4 °C (18 h) or –20 °C (30 d), and then cooked in 15 or 30 mL of canola oil. Regardless of oil volume, cooking refrigerated 1.25 cm thick burgers to 57.2, 65.6, 73.9, or 82.2 °C delivered reductions of ca. 4.8 to > 6.0 log CFU/g compared to ca. 3.0 to >5.0 log CFU/g for frozen burgers. Cooking refrigerated 2.5 cm thick burgers to 57.2 to 82.2 °C delivered reductions of ca. 2.8 to > 6.1 log CFU/g compared to ca. 2.4 to >5.1 log CFU/g for frozen burgers. Average internal temperatures for refrigerated or frozen burgers cooked to 57.2, 65.6, 73.9, or 82.2 °C ranged from 38.3 to 96.2, 48.0 to 99.4, 55.2 to 98.5, or 59.4 to 98.3 °C, respectively. Thus, pan frying refrigerated or frozen Turkey burgers to >73.9 °C delivered a >5.0-log reduction of Salmonella.