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Food and Beverages Tech Review | Friday, April 28, 2023
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Pasteurization has become a common industry standard in recent years, particularly regarding milk and dairy products.
FREMONT, CA: Numerous food companies, particularly those coping with milk products, have adopted pasteurization as an industry norm. However, pasteurization can also prevent disease transmission and extend the shelf life of foods and semi-solid products.
Pasteurization is necessary for preparing certain foods and semi-solids for distribution because it eliminates hazardous bacteria. The procedure provides some significant benefits:
Extensive shelf life: It is crucial to keep a product fresh until it reaches the market and then consumers' pantries. Some bacteria and other microorganisms can accelerate the decay of food products beyond the time it takes for the final consumer to purchase them. Therefore, pasteurization is essential for the viability of your food products.
Preventing Illness: Many food products contain pathogens that induce foodborne illnesses. It is essential to eliminate them to ensure your product is safe for general consumption. For instance, eggs are known to transmit salmonella and avian flu, and pasteurization destroys the pathogens that cause these diseases.
Some dietary products are microbe breeding grounds. Regardless of the sterility of your processing facility, there is always a possibility that your unpasteurized product could cause illness.
Rapid and secure sanitation: There are numerous methods for sanitizing food products, but pasteurization is the most efficient and secure. Pasteurization raises the product's temperature sufficiently to kill any microorganisms that may be present.
Other methods may involve chemical or radiation-based remedies and may not be the safest.
Additionally, pasteurization is quicker than most methods that rely on filtration or other means.
Consistent product quality: The product's stability is improved by removing volatile contaminants. Therefore, your product's quality is more constant. Customers will know what to expect from your production lines if your products are more consistent.
Possible enhancements to flavor and aroma: Pasteurization can enhance the aroma and flavor of a product. Certain foods and other products may contain bacteria that produce foul odors over time, but this does not inherently affect the quality of the product. Eliminating these bacteria can result in a more consistent positive consumer experience.
Regulatory accountability: Numerous laws mandate that certain food products be pasteurized or treated to eliminate pathogens and bacteria. For instance, the FDA requires pasteurized eggs or egg products instead of uncooked eggs when serving schoolchildren and nursing home residents. State regulations applicable to your industry may vary.
HOW THE PASTEURIZATION PROCESS WORKS
Here are the procedures for pasteurizing foods and semi-solids:
Temperature treatment: In most instances, pasteurization entails heating the product, typically through vapor or immersion in hot water. The product may be pasteurized inside or outside its packaging, but the heat eliminates harmful pathogens.
Target conditions: The heating procedure is meticulously regulated. It should be hot enough to complete the task but not so intense that it adversely affects the product. Consequently, the procedure requires precise temperatures.
Time: Once the product reaches the desired temperature, it is held for a specified time. Again, this is meticulously regulated to preserve the product's integrity. Upon completion of the procedure, the temperature is lowered back to the desired level for the market.
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