Mj. Ocio et al., A TIME-TEMPERATURE INTEGRATOR FOR PARTICULATED FOODS - THERMAL-PROCESS EVALUATION, ZEITSCHRIFT FUR LEBENSMITTEL-UNTERSUCHUNG UND-FORSCHUNG A-FOOD RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, 205(4), 1997, pp. 325-328
A time temperature integrator (TTI) was developed by immobilizing Baci
llus stearothermophilus spores in a cylindrical particle consisting of
an alginate-starch-mushroom puree. The particle showed homogeneous sp
ore distribution, and when heated over a temperature range of 121-130
degrees C negligible spore leakage was observed after the thermal proc
ess. The experimental data on spore survivor levels obtained for each
temperature-time combination were compared with theoretical prediction
s using a mathematical model. The results showed a good correlation be
tween the experimental and theoretical data. All these results provide
evidence that this artificial particle could be a very reliable TTI f
or monitoring the thermal impact on micro-organisms during validating
sterilization processes in continuous aseptic systems.