Non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum spores in low-acid cold-distributed foods and design of pasteurization processes

• Published in: Trends in food science & technology 2010-02, Vol.21 (2), p.95-105
• Main Authors: Silva, Filipa V.M., Gibbs, Paul A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: bacterial contamination; bacterial spores; Biological and medical sciences; Clostridium botulinum; cold storage; Food engineering; Food industries; Food microbiology; food pathogens; fresh-cut foods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; heat tolerance; low acid foods; microbial growth; pasteurization; predictive microbiology; spore-forming bacteria
• ISSN: 0924-2244; 1879-3053
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2009.10.011

The increasing consumption of minimally processed chilled foods poses new risks in terms of public safety and foodborne infections. Thermal pasteurization (65–95 °C) reduces the numbers of unwanted vegetative cells of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in foods, extending food shelf-life, promoting food safety, and allowing the reduction and elimination of added chemical preservatives to foods. With respect to low-acid foods, microbial spores surviving pasteurization must be controlled, by using cold storage and transportation (1–8 °C), and a limited shelf-life. A review on the heat resistance of most common contaminant microbial flora in low-acid chilled foods is presented and a new strategy for the design of pasteurization processes based on the non-proteolytic psychrotrophic Clostridium botulinum spores thermal resistance will be approached.