Recently we clarified the growth kinetics of Salmonella Enteritidis in raw ground beef at
various temperatures with our growth model. Based on those results, this study aimed to build
a new methodology to predict the growth of Salmonella in ground beef at given initial concentrations
of the pathogen and temperatures. Namely, the maximum cell population of Salmonella
at various combinations of its initial concentration and temperature was developed with a polynomial
equation. The rate constants of Salmonella growth at various temperatures were estimated
with the square root model studied in our recent study. A new system consisting of our
growth model, the polynomial equation, and the square root model successfully predicted the
growth of Salmonella inoculated at given concentrations in beef at constant and dynamic
temperatures. The growth of natural microflora in beef at those temperature patterns were also
successfully predicted with the growth model.