Pm. Periago et al., A PREDICTIVE MODEL TO DESCRIBE SENSITIZATION OF HEAT-TREATED BACILLUS-STEAROTHERMOPHILUS SPORES TO NACL, ZEITSCHRIFT FUR LEBENSMITTEL-UNTERSUCHUNG UND-FORSCHUNG A-FOOD RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, 206(1), 1998, pp. 58-62
The effect of different concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) in th
e recovery medium on the apparent thermal resistance of Bacillus stear
othermophilus spores (strain ATCC 12980) was studied. Spores were heat
ed at different temperatures (115-125 degrees C) and subcultured in me
dium with different NaCl concentrations [1, 2, 3 and 3.5% (w/v)]. The
results indicate that increasing NaCl levels decreases the apparent he
at resistance of the spores, over a temperature range of 115-125 degre
es C. No significant difference was found between 3 and 3.5% (w/v) NaC
l although both reduced B. stearothermophilus heat resistance consider
ably. A second-order polynomial equation provided a good description o
f the spores' D value, as influenced by the temperature and NaCl conce
ntration. Predictions from the model compared well with published data
, and therefore the model is suitable for predicting the effect of NaC
l concentration on thermal inactivation of B. stearothermophilus.