J. Kleer et al., MICROBIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF ASEPTICALLY PACKED SEMIFLUID FOODS WITHPH GREATER-THAN-4.5 (LOW ACID ASEPTIC PRODUCTS), Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau, 93(11), 1997, pp. 360-367
Sauce a la Carbonara and Sauce Hollandaise serving as a model for low
acid aseptic products were inoculated with salmonellae, S. aureus, C.
Sporogenes, C. perfringens as well as with moulds and bacteria that we
re isolated from the air of an aseptic filling and packaging chamber.
Formation of blowers and growth of the iocula were registered. Followi
ng thre weeks' storage at 20-22 degrees C, only a limited number of pa
cks showed swelling and detectable oganoleptic changes of the product
itself whereas the rest of them always remained unaltered. Nevertheles
s, the pathogenic bacteria multiplied strongly. S. aureus despite of i
ntense multiplication produced, no swelling at all. From the experimen
tal conditions choosen here and for the products used in this study it
can be concluded that total sampling is the only non destructive test
of concern. The packages have to be held in quarantine for 3 weeks at
22 degrees C or 5 weeks at 15 degrees C respectively, and may not be
released unless each pack is inspected individually.