Food Sterilization by Heat

 

FOOD STERILIZATION BY HEAT  

A. Casolari 

Introduction  PART I  Brief   PART II   Details of the microbial destruction process   Microbial destruction and the sterilization process: A - Theory of Microbial Heat Heat Inactivation Kinetics. Kinetics.  B - Heat P  rocess, FT , required for preservation of low-acid  foods.Process, C - Heat Process, FT , required to produce low-acid canned   foods SAFE from a Public Health standpoint.   D - Mesophilic non-pathogenic sporeformers of the putrefactive   group.  E - Comparison between Sanitary and Preservation  requirements.  F - The Thermophilic microorganisms and the Sterilization Process  REFERENCES 

 INTRODUCTION   STERILIZATIO STERILIZATION N is a process employed to deprive microorganisms of their  ability to multiply. The most reliable Sterilization Sterilization process process is obtained by  application of Heat.  destruction of microorganisms  Heat destruction microorganisms is a gradual gradual phenomenon: phenomenon: the longer longer is the treatment time at lethal temperatures, the larger is the number of killed   microorganisms.  microorganis ms.   As higher is treatment treatment te temperature: mperature: 

 

1 - as shorter is the time required to kill m microorganis icroorganisms; ms;   2 - as lower is heat heat induced da damage mage to food product products. s.  Theoreticall Theoretically, y, absolute sterility does not exist.  Only Low Acid Foods [LAF], having pH higher than 4.6, must be  sterilized, because because all microorganisms microorganisms are able to grow in LAF.   More acid products products [pH equal/l equal/lower ower than 4.6] do not allow th thee growth of   pathogenic sporeforming sporeforming bac bacteria. teria. Then Sterilization Sterilization iiss not require required. d.  The purpose of the Sterilization Process [SP] is the destruction of all  al l   pathogenic organisms organisms togethe togetherr with spoilage spoilage/non-pathogenic /non-pathogenic  microorganisms,  microorganis ms, to achieve tthe he Safe Prese Preservation rvation at Roo Room m Temperature  [SPRT] of treated treated product products. s.   Food products proc processed essed to obtain SPRT SPRT are usually usually defined as ‘commerciallyy sterile’.  ‘commerciall

PART I  B R I E F  LAF is a food having an equilibrium pH value higher than 4.7.   The Sterilization Treatment by Heat [STH] is regarded as suitable if of size equivalent to Fo=10 at least [Casolari, A., 1994, Food Microbiolo Microbiology gy 11, 75-84 ] or equal/higher than 8 [Stumbo et al., 1975, J. Food Science 40, 1316-1323].  Fo value is the number of minutes the food is actually exposed at the Reference Sterilization Sterilizat ion Temperature Temperature of 250°F = 121.11°C. 121.11°C.  Fo does not refer to total, „integrated heat‟ applied /received by the the entire m mass ass of product in the container or holding tube [that is the heat absorbed by the slowest-heating product at the center center of the can or flowing at the center center of the holding tube, plus the heat absorbed by the fast-heating product located at the periphery of  the can, or of the holding tube].  

Fo refers to th thee amount of heat heat received by product located at the coldest point in the container heated inside a retort or hydrostatic sterilizer; or the fastest particle flowing in holding tube or plates of continuous sterilizers. sterilizers. 

 

The total, „integrated Fo‟ if of interest to structural/nutritional quality of  sterilized products; not to the process of killing the microorganisms.  A STH of any chosen Fo can be applied at Temperatures lower or higher than 250°F. The following equation describes the relationship occurring between Fo and any treatment FT FT of equivalent size obtainable obtainable at different different temperature, T:  (Tr – T) (Tr –  T) / z

FT

= Fo * 10

FT = Fo * 10

FT = Fo * 10

[1] 

 

(250 –  (250  – T) T) / 18

 

T = °F

(121.11 –  (121.11 T) / 10  – T)

T = °C 

 

[1.F] 

[1.C] 

According to equation [1.F & 1.C] the following EQUIVALE EQUIVALENT NT STH [EFT] can be obtained: 

°F 

214 

223  232  241  250  259  268  277  286  295 

 EFT   1,000   316   100   31.6   °C 

10   3.16  

1 

0.32  0.1  0.032 

101.1  106.1  111.1  116.1  121.1  126.1  131.1  136.1  141.1  146.1 

The meaning of EFT is that a STH of Fo = 10 can be applied applied by a treatment of  10 minutes at 250°F, or, what is the same, 100 minutes at 232°F, or 1 minute at 268°F, or 6 seconds at 286°F, obtaining the same lethality as regards the microbial destruction, what means destroying the same fraction of  o f  microorganisms.  STH is usually applied at the highest temperature allowe allowed d by the available equipment/product, equipment/pro duct, since as higher is temperature as easier is to preserve prominent characteristics characteristics of foods [nutritional components, etc.]. The above effect does occur because the thermal degradation rate of organic matter increases less rapidly, increasing temperature, than destruction of  microorganisms [„z‟ of organic matter is higher than „z‟ of destruction of  microorganisms; i.e.: its easier to destroy microorganisms than most organic molecules]. 

PART II   Details of the the microbial destruction process process  Microbial destruction and the sterilization process: 

 

  A - Theory of Microbial Heat Inactivation Kinetics.  B - Heat Process, Process, FT , required for preservation of low-acid  foods.  C - Heat Process, Process, FT , required to produce low-acid canned   foods SAFE from a Public Health standpoint.  D - Mesophilic non-pathogenic sporeformers of the putrefactive   group.  E - Comp Comparison arison between Sanitary Sanitary and Preservation  requirements. 

A - Theory of Microbial Heat Inactivation Kinetics.  The death of microbial populations populations exposed to lethal temperatures temperatures follows the kinetics of first order reactions [ Esty  Esty & Meyer, Meyer, 1922; Ball & Olson, 1957; Stumbo, 1973; Pflug, 1987.b; Casolari, 1988 ]. ]. According to the equation of  exponential decay:  Nt = No * ek*t

[1] 

where Nt is the number of organisms surviving the treatment time „t‟, No is the initial number of microorganism microorganismss and „k‟ is the death rate. Equation [1] is often rewritten as:  Nt = No * 10 k'*t

[2] 

and more commonly in the logarithmic form:   Log Nt = Log No - k‟ *t

[3] 

The death rate k‟ of microbial populations can be obtained from eq. [3]:   k‟ = [Log No - Log Nt] / t [4]  after which the single most important parameter [D] describing heat resistance of microorganisms exposed to the lethal temperature T can be obtained:  DT = [1/k‟] = t / [Log No - Log Nt]

[5] 

DT  is called “Decimal Reduction Time ” at the temperature T.  DT is the time in minutes:   - required for the inactivation curve to transverse one Log   cycle,  - required for destruction of 90% of the population, 

 

- required to reduce reduce of 10 times the number of living  microorganisms. 

According to eq. [5], in the form:  t / D = Log No - Log Nt  the eq. [2] can be rewritten as:  Nt = No * 10

- t /D

 

[6] 

The value of D at the temperature T - usually written DT - is specific  to each type of microorganism, species, strain, physiological condition, environment, etc. [  specimen of heat resistance from Microbiofood  Microbiofood  ]  microorganisms may have D T = 2 At the same temperature T a heat sensitive microorganisms minutes, for instance, while a heat resistant microorganisms may have D T > 2, that is 4 minutes, or 18 minutes, or 145 minutes, and so on.  Examples of different heat resistance among vegetative cells:  Listeria monocytogenes has a D80°C  = 5.1 minutes [Schoeni et al., 1991]; Staphylococcus Staphylococc us aureus has D80°C  = 0.2 minutes [ Evans et al., 1970].  Sporulated bacteria have usually a heat resistance much higher than vegetative cells: spores of Clostridium pasteurianum have D80°C = 100 minutes [Casolari & Giannone, 1966 ]. ].  chemicall reactions, the death rate of microorganisms increases As for usual chemica with the increase in temperature, according according to the Arrehnius law: 

k=A*e

- Ea / R*T

 

[7] 

Thermobacteri Thermobacteriologists ologists prefer to link the effect of temperature upon the death rate of microorganisms to the parameter parameter D [D = 2.3/k = 1/k‟] of the equations [5-6]:  DT = DTr * 10 [Tr - T] / z

[8] 

where DT and DTr  are the D value at the temperature T and at the „reference‟ temperature Tr, respectivel respectively; y; „z‟ is the reciprocal of the rate of change of death rate with temperature, i.e., „z‟ is the number of degrees [°C, °F] required to achieve a tenfold change change of DT values:  0.1 * D T - z =

DT

= 10 * D T + z 

 

Really eq. [8] can be written as:  Log DT = Log DTr + [Tr - T] / z

[9] 

after which:  z = [Tr - T] / [Log DT - Log DTr ]

[10] 

so that when when  DT and DTr differ by 10 times, the difference of their logarithms is one  [Log DT  - Log ( 0.1 *  *  DT ) = 1]  and thus z = Tr - T.  For example: example:  DT = 24 and then  Log 24 - Log 0.1*24 = 1.38 - 0.38 = 1   so that if T = 80°C = 176°F and Tr = 86°C = 186.8 then:  z = 86-80 = 6°C  z = 186.8 - 176 = 10.8°F  as a matter of fact:  z(°F)*5/9 *5/9   z(°C) = z(°F) and  z(°C)*9/5 *9/5   z(°F) = z(°C) The value of „z‟ is characteristic to each microorganisms in a defined environmentall condition and is a parameter regarded as constant in the narrow environmenta range of temperature usually of relevance for the sterilization purposes.   D and „z‟ are the two basic parameters defining completely the heat resistance characteristics characterist ics of single microorganisms. [Analogous parameters are used to characterizee the heat resistance of vitamins and other characteriz o ther nutritional components of  foods]. 

B - Heat Process , F

T

, required for preservation of low-acid foods. 

The heat treatments required for preservation of canned foods are calculated on the basis of equations [5, 8].  According to eq. [5], the time t required to decrease the starting level of  microbial contamination contamination from No to the final level Nt is obtained from the following relationship: 

 

t = D * [Log No - Log Nt]

[11] 

As an illustration, let the DT of the most heat resistant [HR] Listeria monocytogeness be D80°C = D176°F = 5.1 minutes [Schoeni et al., 1991] and monocytogene the contamination level of the lot of sliced cabbage to be sanified [for instance] is expected to be No = 107 = 10,000,000 / kg; the treatment time time t required to to reduce the HR7 Listeria to the level Nt = 1/ kg, can be calculated from [11], being Log 10 = 7 and Log 1 = 0 :  t = 5.1 * [7 - 0]   t = 35.7 minutes  The reduction of the contamination level from 10 7 to 1/kg can be  expressed equally well as a 7 decimal reductions [D*7, or simply 7D] of the contamination.  The nD concept [that is the number of decimal reductions obtained] is very practical because it can be applied to any difference between Log No and Log Nt equaling n.  Really, 7D of the contamination [as in the above example] is obtained after the same treatment time, whether  Log No = 7 and Log Nt = 0  because t = D*[7-0] = D*7  or  Log No = 8 and Log Nt = 1  because t = D*[8-1] = D*7  or 

Log No = 9 and Log Nt = 2 

because t = D*[9-2] = D*7  or  Log No = 6 and Log Nt = -1  because t = D*[6-(-1)] D*[6-(-1)] = D*[6+1] = D*7  or  Log No = 5 and Log Nt = -2 

 

because t = D*[5-(-2)] D*[5-(-2)] = D*[5+2] = D*7  that is the difference between Log No and Log Nt is always equal to 7.   It follows that the number n of decimal reductions, nD, obtained after a treatment time t equals the difference in the contamination level before treatment and after the treatment t at T:  Log Nt  nD = Log No - Log

[11.1]  

The knowledge of nD is very interesting in practice because it is a parameter that can be applied easy to any starting/final level of contamination, and so allowing the immediate evaluation evaluation of the suitability of the treatment for the purpose.  The following equation can be obtained from eq. [11] :  equation too can Log Nt = Log No - t / D

[12] 

after which one can find:  1 - the level of contamination Nt surviving the treatment time t, knowing the value of D and No of the microorganisms of interest;   2 - the number of decimal reductions, nD, achieved after a treatment time t, by knowing only the value of D.   According to the above reported example, the contamination level of different microorganisms having D = 12 minutes is expected to be, after the treatment time of 35.7 minutes [7D of HR Listeria]:  Log Nt = Log No - 35.7/12  so that if Log (No/g) = 5, Log (Nt/g) will be 2.025; what means that about 100 surviving organisms/g can be expected after 35.7 minutes at 80°C.   After eq. [12] we can see that:  Log Nt - Log No = - t/D  so that  Log No - Log Nt = t/D    and, accordingnD to =[11.1]: t/D

[12.1] 

 

after which we see that knowing t and D values one can obtain immediately the value of nD and then the degree of destruction of the reference organisms having decimal reduction time of D minutes.  Accordingl Accordingly, y, the number of decimal reductions, nD, of microorganisms having D80°C = D176°F = 3.57 minutes, for instance, instance, can can be obtained from from eq. [12.1]: nD = 35.7/3.57 = 10 .   And more generally, we may say that a treatment of - for instance - 15 seconds at the temperature T will give 15D of microorganisms having DT = 1sec, 2D of  microorganisms having DT of 7.5 sec, 1D of those having D T of 15 sec, 0.5D of  those having DT = 30 sec, and so on.   Coming back to equation [12], we can deepen our understanding of the meaning of the surviving concentration, concentration, Nt, of o f microorganisms.  Let t = 24 minutes, D = 6 minutes and No = 100,000 microorganisms microorganisms / sample unit. According to eq. [12] the following number Nt of surviving organisms is obtained:  Log Nt = 5 - 24 / 6  = =5 1 - 4  Whose means that after 24 minutes treatment, the product is not sterilized because each sample unit [can, jar, etc.] is still contaminated by the Nt = 10 surviving organisms. During storage, the surviving organisms could grow and spoil the product. If spoiling organisms belong to a pathogenic group, the product may become become toxic too.  For any sterilization process a suitable selection of Nt value must be done.  Let Nt = 1 survivor /10,000 /10,000 units, i.e. i.e. Nt = 10-4 , and No = 105 , D = 3 for instance, and the time t required required to achieve the chosen Nt Nt level will be, from eq. [11]:  t = 3 * [ 5 - (- 4) ] = 27  So, after a treatment treatment time time FT = 27 minutes at the lethal temperature T the initial contamination contamination of No = 100,000 microorganisms microorganisms / unit will be reduced to the expected expected level of one survivor survivor per 10,000 treated units.  organisms/sample ple unit could be regarded The survival level of 1/10,000 = 10-4 organisms/sam as a low enough survival probability and thus a satisfactory degree of final sterility.  According to Pflug [1987.a]: “..the probability of a Cl. botulinum spore surviving...the probability probability of a mesophilic spore surviving...will give a more realistic picture of the microbial status of the product than use of descriptive terms, such as „sterile‟ or commercial sterility.” [Pflug, 1987.a].  Really, the exponential nature of the inactivation kinetics does not allow the

 

achievement of „absolute sterility‟, but only some well defined level of  sterility.  The sterility level is more usefully expressed in terms of Survival Probability [SP], where:  SP = Nt / No

[13] 

Following eq. [12-13]:  Log SP = Log (Nt/No) = Log Nt - Log No = - t / D after which  SP = 10-t/D  and also  SP = 10-nD 

[14] 

[15]  [16] 

Both safety and preservation are the most important objectives taken into consideration in calculating the sterilization process to be applied to low-acid canned foods.  FT is the treatment time at the temperature T applied for the sterilization purposes. 

applying FT values high enough to destroy all The safety iiss reached by applying pathogenic organisms. 

The preservation is obtained by applying applying FT treatments high enough to destroy both pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms.  

In either case, the required required  FT can be calculated by knowing:  (i) the DT  and „z‟ of the most heat resistant pathogenic organism,  (ii) the DT  and „z‟ of the most heat resistant spoilage organism of   interest,  expected level of No for (iii) the expected for both Pathogenic [P] [P] and Spoilage  [S] organisms, and   (iv) the tolerated survival value Nt for both P and S organisms.  Knowing the above quantities,  quantities,  the FT at the temperature T can be calculate calculated d by the following relationship relationship: : 

 

FT = DT * nD

 

[17] 

where FT is a multiple of the highest DT recorded among D values of relevant r elevant S and P organisms. o rganisms.  By changing the treatment temperature, the values of  FT  = f (T) are obtained, according to eq. [8], by the following:  FT = FTr * 10 [Tr - T] / z 

[18] 

treatment nt time at the reference reference temperature temperature Tr .  where FTr is the treatme

C-

Heat Process required to produce low-acid low-acid canned foods SAFE from a Public Health standpoint. 

The usually accepted „safe‟ nd [snd] value results from the early work of Esty & Meyer [1922] providing the treatment time required at several temperatures temperatures to obtain no survivors when using suspensions of billions of Cl. botulinum spores. Really, the exact number number of spores used by Esty & Meyer [1922] is not known [nor quoted authors were able to calculate D values], while it was assumed to be very close to   1012 . Thus, the reference „destruction times‟ [absence of survivors despite No = 1012] reported by Esty & Meyer [1922] caused a number number of log cycles cycles decrease, nd, of Cl. botulinum spores very close to 12. Accordingly, the reference value of snd = 12 was universally accepted.  Since the level of heat resistant Cl. botulinum spores can be safely expected to “...vary from 10,000 per container container of product, which may may occur in some some mushrooms products, to 0.1 , which may be the the level for meat..” [ PFLUG, I.J., 1987a], then the Survival Probability of Cl. botulinum spores [SPB] will vary following eq. [13-16] - from 10 -8 to 10-13 /containe  /container, r, since:  SPB = Nt / No = 10-snd

[19] 

after which the number of survivors / container, Nt, is expected to be:   Nt = No * 10-snd  being  Nt / No = 10-snd  and then:  Log Nt = Log No - snd 

 

Let No = 104 / container and then:  Log Nt = 4 - 12 = - 8  Nt = 10-8  Let No = 10-1 and then:  Log Nt = -1 - 12 = - 13  so that:  Nt = 10-13  The highest heat resistance of the most heat resistant Clostridium botulinum spores is regarded to be [ Ball  Ball & Olson [1957; [1957; Stumbo, 1973; Stumbo Stumbo et al., 1975; Pflug & Odlaug, 1978; Pflug, 1987 ] the 'destruction time' [the theory of  exponential inactivation inactivation was not still working] of 4 minutes at 120°C recorded by Esty & Meyer [1922] using a very concentrated suspension of spores.   Such destruction time resulted from the more extensive collection of heat resistance data of Cl. botulinum ever studied, i.e.: a blend of spores from 109 strains obtained from different sources [ Esty & Meyer, Meyer, 1922].  The destruction times reported by Esty & Meyer [1922] were corrected by Townsend et al. [1938 ] for lags in heating and cooling, leading to D 121.1°C = D250°F = 2.45 min, after which D121.1°C  = D250°F = 2.45 / snd = 2.45 / 12 = 0.2 min.  The „z‟ value recalculated on the data of Esty and Meyer [ 1922], was z = 9.8 °C = 17.6°F [Townsend et al., 1938 ]. ].  Some investigators reported higher D=and z values [seeminutes Casolari, ]. Nonetheless, the value of D121.1°C D250°F = 0.2 min utes and1994 z = 10°C =   18°F are currently the most widely accepted Reference Decimal Reduction Time and z values of Cl. botulinum spores of maximal heat resistance. resistance. 

The D121.1°C  = D250°F = 2.45 min was rounded rounded up in in practice practice to D121.1°C D121.1°C  = D250°F = 3 min and called  “minimum botulinum cook”  [mbc]. A mbc of 3 min min at 121.1°C = 250°F 250°F is equivalent equivalent to a value of nd = 3/0.2 = 15. 

 

[It is usually said that the mbc will produce 12 D. As shown above, the mbc is expected to produce 15D.]  

It is a widely accepted concept too, that  any process, FT , equivalent to  Fo = D121.1°C  = D250°F = 3 min [z = 10°C = 18°F]  is a realistic mbc because it will produce canned foods „safe‟  from a public health standpoint  [Stumbo, 1973; Stumbo et al., 1975; Pflug & Odlaug, 1978 ]. ]. 

thermobacteriology results from the general The relevance of the z value in thermobacteriology equation [18] of heat inactivation as a function of temperature: 

FT = FTr*10(Tr - T) / z after which:  FT = FTr * 10 ( 121.1 - T ) equivalent to  FT = FTr * 10 ( 250 - T ) / 18

/ 10

[20] 

[20.C]  [20.F] 

where FTr in this case is the reference Treatment time of the  mbc = 3 minutes.  Equations [20.C and 20.F] are of paramount important in thermobacteriology, because  by using either above equations one is able to find the right time F T  required at any preferred sterilization temperature that is EQUIVALENT to a heat treatment taken as reference [F Tr].  equations [20.C and 20.F] a reference treatment of FTr = According to equations F121.1°C = F250°C = 3, for instance, instance, is exactly equivalent equivalent to the following following treatments, as regards the killing rate:   1.2 3.9 12.2 38.7

min min min min

at 125°C = at 120°C = at 115°C = at 110°C =

257°F  248°F  239°F  230°F 

 

122.2 min at 105°C = 221°F  386.5 min at 100°C = 212°F  Really, according to the theory, the above six heat treatments  a ny treatment obtained on the basis of equations [20.C, 20.F] - as well as any are exactly equivalent one another, in that they are all expected to cause „exactly the same‟ number number of decimal reductions, whichever reference microorganisms is concerned, while having z = 10°C = 18°F.   [ specimen from HProcess  HProcess ]

heatt treatment times on the basis basis of 'z' different from z = 10°C 10°C = Equivalent hea 18°F can equally be obtained by using the more more general equation [20] instead of equations [20.C and 20.F].  Accordingly, y, wishing to use z = 8°C = 14.4°F, for instance, the equivalent equivalent Accordingl sterilization sterilizati on treatment at different temperatures can be obtained from equations:  or

FT = FTr *10(Tr-T)/9 

  (Tr-T)/14.4

FT

=

FTr

*10

 

D - Destruction of Mesophilic non-pathogenic sporeformers of the putrefactive group. 

TRUE STERILIZATION TREATMENT TIME  COMMERCIAL STERILITY  Several non-pat non-pathogenic hogenic mesophilic mesophilic sporeformers having heat heat resistance higher than that of Cl. botulinum usually occur in low-acid foods. They belong to the group of anaerobes of the putrefactive type. Soil is the primary source of these spores. Some species are common in human and animal intestine. They can contaminatee all canned foods. The most heat contaminat heat resistant anaerobic anaerobic spores of the putrefactive group are those produced by a reference strain of Cl. sporogenes usually called Putrefactive Putrefactive Anaerobe 3679 [PA 3679]. Heat resistance of PA 3679 spores may be as high as D121.1°C =D250°F = 3 minutes [Cameron et al., 1980]. More usually, the D121.1°C = D250°F ranges between 1 minutes and 0.3 minutes [Stumbo et al., 1975; Pflug , 1987b]. According to Pflug [1987b] “..D121.1°C = 0.5 min probably is more realistic re alistic of canned food production conditions.” 

 

A low enough survival probability of spoilage bacteria of this type is identified with what is called „commercial sterility‟ [CS] of low low-acid -acid canned food products. According to Stumbo [1973] and Stumbo et al. [1975], a satisfactory level of CS is reached at at a survival probability of PA 3679-like 3679-like spores of 10 - 4   /container. Pflug Pflug [1987b] suggested a Nt value of 10 - 6.  The incidence of mesophilic Clostridium Clostridium spores in raw beef, chicken chicken and pork  was found to be about 2.8 spores/g on the average [Greenberg et al., 1966 ]. ]. It may be safely expected that not more than about 1% of those mesophilic Clostridium spores may have high heat resistance. Nevertheless, Pflug [1987.b] said: “..the actual number of resistant [0.3 < D121.1°C < 0.7 minutes] mesophilic spores per container will be more nearly of the order of 10 per container.”  The treatment time required to achieve the commercial sterility of low-acid canned foods can be obtained, according to equation [17] by: by :  FT = D * [Log No - Log Nt]

[21] 

and the reference treatment:  F121.1°C = D121.1°C * [Log No - Log Nt] [22.C]  F121.1°C = D250°F  * [Log No - Log Nt] [22.F]  Acceptin Accepting g the suggestion of Pflug [1987.b] of an average No = 10 / container and Nt = 10 - 6 per container, the expected sterilization value F 121.1°C = F250°F of  low-acid foods will be, according according to different D121.1°C values values of PA 3679 spores, and following eq. [22.C]:  F121.1°C = 0.3 * [1 - ( - 6 )] = 2.1  = 0.5 * [1 - ( - 6 )] = 3.5  = 0.7 * [1 - ( - 6 )] = 4.9  = 1 * [1 - ( - 6 )] = 7  By accepting instead the suggestion of Stumbo et al. [1975] of a satisfact satisfactory ory -4 Nt = 10 , the F121.1°C will be:  F121.1°C = 0.3 * [1 - ( - 4 )] = 1.5  = 0.5 * [1 - ( - 4 )] = 2.5  = 0.7 * [1 - ( - 4 )] = 3.5  = 1 * [1 - ( - 4 )] = 5  the Reference Heat Sterilization Treatment at 121.1°C = 250°F is currently termed Fo. 

 

 

Fo represents the number of minutes that are applied at 121.1°C = 250°F for the sterilization purpose, i.e. for obtaining the 'commercial sterility'.   THE COMMERCIAL STERILITY  is the condition achieved by a Sterilization Process  applied for the preservation of low-acid foods  obtained by applying heat treatments equivalents to Fo ranging from 5 to 7 minutes .   Some observations suggest that it would be safer to t o apply Fo values equal/higherr than 10 minutes [Casolari, 1994] from both sanitary and equal/highe preservation view point. 

E - Comparison between Sanitary and Preservation requirements.  From the sanitary viewpoint, a heat treatment equal or higher than the minimum botulinum botulinum cook [mbc = 3 min at 121.1°C] 121.1°C] will give the very satisfactory low level of survival survival probability probability of SPB = 10-15 / container [see Section B].  As shown in Section C, the protection of canned foods against spoilage during storage at ambient temperature, can be achieved by heat treatments equivalent equivalent to 5-7 minutes at 121.1°C, that is 5 < Fo < 7 [z = 10°C].  By applying treatme treatments nts of the above size, the survival survival probability of food spoilage microorganisms of the putrefactive group is expected to be SP = 10 - 4 - 10 - 6 per container, respectively [see Section C].   he most heat The survival probability of the most heat resistant spores of tthe resistant Cl. botulinum botulinum strain is expected to be, according to eq. [15]:  SPB = 10 - Fo / Db [23]  Being Db = 0.2 the reference decimal reduction reduction time of Cl. botulinum spores at 121.1°C, it follows that after heat treatments of Fo = 5 the SPB will be 10 - 25 .  After heat treatments of Fo = 7 the value of SPB will be 10 - 35 .  Both SPB values are of an exceedingly low level, much lower than SP.   Accordingly, any heat treatment F T  „equivalent „equivalent‟‟ [on the t he basis of the eq.

 

[18]] to 5 < Fo < 7 can be regarded as exceedingly safe from the sanitary viewpoint. 

- The Thermophilic microorganisms microorganisms and the Sterilization Process 

F A group of bacteria called thermophils thermophils are able to growth at temperature higher than about 45°C = 113°F up to about 75°C = 167°F.   The thermophils seldom grow [some eurithermophil strains of Bacillus stearothermophilus] stearothermophi lus] at temperatures lower than 45°C down to 30°C = 86°F. Thermophilic bacteria may be facultative-aerobic or anaerobic and not pathogenic species had ever been found in the group. Aerobic thermophils belong to the species B. stearothermophilus, B. coagulans, B. circulans. Anaerobic thermophils thermophils usually found in foods belong to the species Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum thermosaccharolyticum and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans.  Usually, the spoilage of Low-acid Foods by thermophilic bacteria does not matter at warehousing and distribution in the mesophilic temperature range. Low-acid foods stored stored and/or distributed distributed under temperatures temperatures in the thermophilic range [higher than 45°C = 113°F] could perhaps be spoiled by thermophilic Bacillus Bacillus of the flat-sour type and mostly by Bacillus stearothermophilus. stearothermophi lus. Spoilage by thermophilic anaerobes is less likely, given the usual low contamination level of food products by this type of organisms.   [The spores of the anaerobic thermophilic bacteria are often so high heat resistant at temperature close to 121°C that it's impossible to destroy with usual Fo applied app lied at temperatures close to - or lower than 121°C. In case of foods contaminated co ntaminated by such thermophilic anaerobes it is necessary to change raw material or to change the Sterilization Process toward the use of higher temperatures - up to 140 - 150°C (284 - 302°F). At such high temperatures the heat resistance of the thermophilic anaerobic spores is lower than that of the mesophilic spores. As a matter of fact, the z value of such high heat resistant spores is lower than that of mesophilic spores (usually close to 10°C = 18°F) and close to 5°C = 41°F. It follows that the same Fo is unable to destroy the anaerobic thermophilic spores at temperature close to - or lower than - 121.1°C = 250°F; while the same Fo applied at much higher high er temperatures, will do.] 

The normal growth temperature of B. stearothermop stearothermophilus-type hilus-type organisms ranges between 50 and 70°C [122 < °F < 158]. High spore crops of some strains may grow at lower/higher temperatures. 

 

w ill According to Pflug [1987_b]: “ ..B. stearothermophilus spores in nature will have a weighed, effective effective D121.1°C value of the order of 1.5 min, but it may  be as high as 3.0 min or as low low as 1.0 min.” .  Accordingly, y, after heat treatments of 5 < Fo < 7 it may be expected a range Accordingl of 1.7 - 2.3 < nD < 5 - 7 at the extreme extreme values values of heat resistance, resistance, and and 3.3 < nD < 4.7 on the basis of the average average D = 1.5 min. min.  The contamination level of vegetables by this type of flat sour spores usually ranges between between 0.1 and 1,000/g .  It follows that survival probability of flat-sour spores [SPFS] will ranges between  100.3 or 10-0.3 < Nt / kg < 104.3 or 103.7  starting level of contamination as a function of the starting contamination [2 < Log No / kg < 6] and on the basis of an average heat resistance of D = 1.5 min:   10-1.3 or 102.7 < Nt / kg < 10-2.7 or 101.3  Survival probability of 10-0.3 - 10-1.3 means 0.5 - 0.05 surviving spores/kg, that is 5 spores every 10 one kg units and 5 spores each 100 one kg units, respectively.  Both survival probability are quite higher than the 10 -4- 10-6 values accepted for the survival of heat resistant PA3679 spores.  Neverthele Nevertheless, ss, some survival [0.01 - 0.05 spores / container] of thermophilic microorganisms of the flat-sour type in low-acid foods is widely accepted because:   1 - the high heat resistance of this kind of spores;   2 - the storage temperature in the temperate temperate climate is low enough enough to prevent germination and growth of thermophilic spores;  3 - thermophilic bacteria bacteria are not pathogenic.  The survival of thermophilic bacteria of the flat-sour type justify and strengthen the concept of Commercial Sterility, implying that both absolute sterility can not be achieved owing to the exponential e xponential behavior of microbial inactivation, inactivation, and that some non-pathogenic/the non-pathogenic/thermophilic rmophilic bacteria have such a high heat resistance that it is impractical to destroy without damaging the treated foods.  

R E F E R E N C E S 

 

Ball, C. O. and Olson, F. C. W., 1957, “Sterilization in Food Technolo Technology”, gy”, McGraw-Hill, London  Bigelow, W. D., 1921. Logarithmic nature of thermal death time curves. Journal of Infectious Diseases 29, 528.   Cameron, M. S., Leonard, S. J. and Barrett, E. L., 1980. Effect of  moderately acidic pH on heat resistance of Clostridium C lostridium sporogenes spores in phosphate buffer and in buffered pea puree. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 39, 043-949  Casolari, A., 1988. „Microbial Death‟, in Physiological Models in Microbiology, Vol. II, p. p. 1-44; M.J. Basin and J.I. Pr Prosser, osser, Ed., CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton FL.  Casolari, A., 1994. About basic parameters of food sterilization technology. Food Microbiology 11, 75-84  Esty, J. R. & Meyer, K. F., 1922. The heat resistance of the spores of B. Botulinus and allied anaerobes. XI. J. Infestious Diseases 31, 650-663  Federal Register, 1979. Part 113. Thermally processed low-acid foods packaged in hermetically sealed containers. Federal Register 44, No. 53, 16215-16238. U.S. Gov. Printing Office   Greenberg, R. A., Tompkin, R. B., Bladel, B. O., Kittaka, R. R . S. and Anellis, A., 1966. Incidence of mesophilic spores in raw pork, beef and chicken in processing plant in the United States and Canada. Appl. Microbiol., 14, 789-793  Pflug, I. J., 1987a.Factors important in determining the heat process value, FT , for low-acid canned foods. Journal Food Protection 50(6), 528-533  Pflug, I. J., 1987b. Calculating FT-values for heat preservation of shelfstable, low-acid canned foods using the straight-line semilogarithmic model. J. Food Protection 50(7), 608-620   Pflug, I. J. & Odlaug, Odlaug, T. E., 1978. A review of z an and d F values used to ensure the safety of low-acid canned foods. Food Technology 32, 63-70  Stumbo, C. R., 1973, “Thermobacteriology in Food Processing”, Academic Press, London 

 

Stumbo, C. R., Purohit, K. S. and Ramakrishnan, T. V., 1975. Thermal process lethality guide for low-acid foods in metal containers. J. Food Science, 40, 1316-1323  Townsend, C. T., Esty, J. R. & Baselt, F. C., 1938. Heat resistance re sistance studies on spores of putrefactive anaerobes in relation to determination dete rmination of safe processes for canned foods. Food Research 3, 323-346 3 23-346