Microbial safety in radio-frequency processing of packaged foods
2004
Luechapattanaporn, K. | Wang, Y. | Wang, J. | Al-Holy, M. | Kang, D.H. | Tang, J. | Hallberg, L.M.
Thermal resistance of Clostridium sporogenes (PA 3679) was determined at 115.6 degrees C, 118.3 degrees C, and 121.1 degrees C (240 degrees, 245 degrees, and 250 degrees, respectively) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and mashed potatoes (pH 6.3) using aluminum thermal-death-time (TDT) tubes developed at Washington State Univ. D-values were 1.8, 1.1, and 0.62 min in phosphate buffer and 2.2, 1.1, and 0.61 min in mashed potatoes at 115.6 degrees C, 118.3 degrees C, and 121.1 degrees C, respectively. Z-values were 12 degrees C and 10 degrees C in phosphate buffer and mashed potatoes, respectively. The thermal inactivation kinetic results were then used to validate a novel thermal process based on 27.12 MHz radio frequency (RF) energy. Trays of mashed potatoes inoculated with PA 3679 were subjected to 3 processing levels: target process (F0 approximately 4.3), under-target process (F0 approximately 2.4), and over-target process (F0 approximately 7.3). The microbial challenge test data showed that microbial destruction from the RF process agreed with the calculated sterilization values. This study suggests that thermal processes based on RF energy can produce safe and shelf-stable packaged foods.
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