Biosafe Control of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins Production in Shelf-Stable Bacon

This study proposed a biosafe strategy to prevent staphylococcal enterotoxin production in cooked bacon, particularly in microenvironments at the product–package interface that may favor toxinogenesis. Challenge tests were conducted on bacon samples with varying water activity, inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus, and treated with a biopreservative produced in an axenic cultivation of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DTA-83. Staphylococcal enterotoxin production was assessed using an ELISA test. Data about microbial growth and staphylococcal enterotoxin production were evaluated under simulated storage using the MicroLab_ShelfLife protocol. Results showed that staphylococcal enterotoxin production occurred independently of water activity, indicating that it alone does not ensure microbial safety. Even at a water activity level traditionally considered inhibitory, enterotoxin formation was observed, emphasizing the critical role of the product–package interface. However, a 1.0% biopreservative applied to the product surface effectively inhibited S. aureus growth and completely suppressed staphylococcal enterotoxin production under all conditions, including temperature abuse. In conclusion, the formation of enterotoxin by S. aureus at low water activity reveals a critical safety risk at the product–package interface. Targeted application of a 1.0% biopreservative at this vulnerable site proved highly effective, reinforcing its role as a practical and non-intrusive hurdle strategy to enhance microbial safety in shelf-stable meat products.