EFFECTS OF HIGH HYDROSTATIC-PRESSURE ON CLOSTRIDIUM-SPOROGENES SPORES

Spores of Clostridium sporogenes were found to be resistant to ultra h igh pressure, with treatments of 600 MPa for 30 min at 20 degrees C ca using no significant inactivation. Combination treatments including he at and pressure applied simultaneously (e.g. 400 MPa at 60 degrees C f or 30 min) or sequentially (e.g. 80 degrees C for 10 min followed by 4 00 MPa for 30 min) proved more effective at inactivating spores. Press ure cycling (e.g. 60 MPa followed by COO MPa at 60 degrees C) also red uced spore numbers. Overall, these pressure treatments resulted in les s than a 3 log reduction, and it was concluded that the spores could n ot be inactivated by pressure alone. This could indicate that for the effective inactivation of bacterial spores, high pressure technology m ay have to be used in combination with other preservation methods.