Innovative product sterilization procedure to remove micro-biological hazards

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

There have been several product recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks linked to tea based products. The main pathogen of**concern is Salmonella although others are also significant. Decontamination of tea is challenging given the moisture sensitivity**coupled with the need to preserve sensory characteristics. In the proposed project we will work in collaboration with the industrial**partner to evaluate and develop a range of non-aqueous based decontamination methods. The approaches to be evaluated will be**those based on forced-air ozone reactor, Advanced Oxidative Process and Radio frequency treatment. The aforementioned**methods have been previously applied to other food commodities (for example, apples, seeds) but not for tea or tea blends. A**further decontamination strategy is to assess and develop ethanol-extract based sanitizers. As part of the tea blending process an**ethanolic-flavoring extract is added to the tumbling product. Although currently applied as a flavoring agent there is a strong**likelihood that antimicrobial constituents are present or could be introduced into the formulation, thereby supporting inactivation of**microbial hazards. Each of the interventions will be validated to decontaminate a diverse range of ingredients (flowers, spices,**herbs, nuts and dried fruit) inoculated with model microbes (bacteria, endospores, molds and viruses). The ethanolic-extracts will**be applied during the terminal part of the tea blending process and again validated for microbial inactivation along with changes on**the sensory profile of the ingredient/tea blend. It can be envisaged that the interventions developed will find utility in**decontaminating a broader range of low-moisture foods.