THE MICROBIOLOGY OF

FOOD PRESERVATION
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Assoc.Prof. Dr. Trịnh Khánh Sơn

2 1. HEAT PROCESSING
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Compartmentalization: chia nhỏ

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Pasteurization
 The term given to heat processes typically in the range 60-80OC and
applied for up to a few minutes, is used for two purposes.
 First is the elimination of a specific pathogen or pathogens associated with
a product. This type of pasteurization is often a legal requirement
introduced as a public health measure when a product has been
frequently implicated as a vehicle of illness. Notable examples are milk, bulk
liquid egg and ice cream mix, all of which have a much improved safety
record as a result of pasteurization.
 The second reason for pasteurizing a product is to eliminate a large
proportion of potential spoilage organisms, thus extending its shelf-life. This is
normally the objective when acidic products such as beers, fruit juices,
pickles, and sauces are pasteurized.

Notable: đáng chú ý;

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 The temperature and time requirements of the pasteurization process are
influenced by the pH of the food. When the pH is below 4.5, spoilage
microorganisms and enzymes are the main targets of pasteurization.
 For example, the pasteurization process for fruit juices is aimed at
inactivating certain enzymes such as pectinesterase and
polygalacturonase.
 The typical processing conditions for the pasteurization of fruit juices include
heating to 77°C (171°F) and holding for 1 minute, followed by rapid cooling
to 7°C (45°F). In addition to inactivating enzymes, these conditions destroy
any yeasts or molds that may lead to spoilage.
 Equivalent conditions capable of reducing spoilage microorganisms involve
heating to 65°C (149°F) and holding for 30 minutes or heating to 88°C (190°F)
and holding for 15 seconds.

Equivalent conditions: điều kiện tương đương

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 When the pH of a food is greater than 4.5, the heat treatment must be
severe enough to destroy pathogenic bacteria.
 In the pasteurization of milk, the time and temperature conditions target the
pathogenic bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Coxiella burnetti,
and Brucella abortus.
 The typical heat treatment used for pasteurizing milk is 72°C (162 °F) for 15
seconds, followed by rapid cooling to 7°C. Other equivalent heat treatments
include heating to 63°C (145 °F) for 30 minutes, 90°C (194 °F) for 0.5 second,
and 94°C (201 °F) for 0.1 second.
 The high-temperature–short-time (HTST) treatments cause less damage to
the nutrient composition and sensory characteristics of foods and therefore
are preferred over the low-temperature–long-time (LTLT) treatments.
9 Appertization
 Refers to processes where the only organisms that survive processing are
non-pathogenic and incapable of developing within the product under
normal conditions of storage.
 As a result, appertized products have a long shelf-life even when stored at
ambient temperatures. The term was coined as an alternative to the still
widely used description commercially sterile which was objected to on the
grounds that sterility is not a relative concept; a material is either sterile or it
is not.
 An appertized or commercially sterile food is not necessarily sterile -
completely free from viable organisms. It is however free from organisms
capable of growing in the product under normal storage conditions.
 Thus for a canned food in temperate climates, it is not a matter of concern if
viable spores of a thermophile are present as the organism will not grow at
the prevailing ambient temperature.

Prevailing: thịnh hành; incapable: không có khả năng

10 Sterilization
 Refers to any process that eliminates, removes, kills, or deactivates all forms
of life and other biological agents (such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spore
forms, prions, unicellular eukaryotic organisms such as Plasmodium, etc.)
present in a specified region, such as a surface, a volume of fluid,
medication, or in a compound such as biological culture media.
 Sterilization can be achieved through various means,
including: heat, chemicals, irradiation, high pressure, and filtration.
Sterilization is distinct from disinfection, sanitization, and pasteurization in that
sterilization kills, deactivates, or eliminates all forms of life and other
biological agents which are present.

Prions are misfolded proteins which characterize several fatal neurodegenerative diseases in animals and humans. It is not known what causes the
normal prion protein to misfold; the abnormal 3-D structure is suspected to confer infectious properties. The word prion derives from "proteinaceous
infectious particle"
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 The time and temperature required for the sterilization of foods are influenced by
several factors, including the type of microorganisms found on the food, the size of
the container, the acidity or pH of the food, and the method of heating
 The thermal processes of canning are generally designed to destroy the spores of
the bacterium C. botulinum. This microorganism can easily grow under anaerobic
conditions, producing the deadly toxin that causes botulism.
 Sterilization requires heating to temperatures greater than 100 °C (212 °F).
However, C. botulinum is not viable in acidic foods that have a pH less than 4.6.
These foods can be adequately processed by immersion in water at temperatures
just below 100 °C.
 The sterilization of low-acid foods (pH greater than 4.6) is generally carried out in
steam vessels called retorts at temperatures ranging from 116 to 129 °C (240 to 265
°F). The retorts are controlled by automatic devices, and detailed records are kept
of the time and temperature treatments for each lot of processed cans. At the end
of the heating cycle, the cans are cooled under water sprays or in water baths to
approximately 38 °C (100 °F) and dried to prevent any surface rusting. The cans are
then labeled, placed in fibreboard cases either by hand or machine, and stored in
cool, dry warehouses.
Rusting: rỉ sét;
12 Ultra High Temperature Treatment (UHT)
 A food processing technology that sterilizes liquid food, chiefly milk, by heating it
above 135°C (275 °F) – the temperature required to kill spores in milk – for 1 to 2
seconds.
 UHT is most commonly used in milk production, but the process is also used for fruit
juices, cream, soy milk, yogurt, wine, soups, honey, and stews. UHT milk was first
developed in the 1960s and became generally available for consumption in the
1970s.
 UHT milk packaged in a sterile container, if not opened, has a typical
unrefrigerated shelf life of six to nine months. In contrast, HTST pasteurized milk has a
shelf life of about two weeks from processing, or about one week from being put on
sale.
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 The international Radura logo,
14 2. IRRADIATION used to show a food has been
treated with ionizing radiation.

 Irradiation is the process by which an object is exposed to radiation. The

exposure can originate from various sources, including natural sources. Most
frequently the term refers to ionizing radiation, and to a level of radiation that will
serve a specific purpose, rather than radiation exposure to normal levels
of background radiation. The term irradiation usually excludes the exposure to
non-ionizing radiation, such as infrared, visible light, microwaves from cellular
phones or electromagnetic waves emitted by radio and TV receivers and power
supplies.
o If administered at appropriate levels, all forms of ionizing
radiation can sterilize objects, including medical instruments, disposables such
as syringes, and sterilize food. Ionizing radiation (electron beams, X-
rays and gamma rays) may be used to kill bacteria in food or other organic
material, including blood. Food irradiation, while effective, is seldom used due
to problems with public acceptance
Administered: quản lý; infrared: tia hồng ngoại; emitt: phát ra
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Electron tự do trong
môi trường nước
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 Food irradiation is the process of exposing foodstuffs to ionizing radiation. Ionizing
radiation is energy that can be transmitted without direct contact to the source of
the energy (radiation) capable of freeing electrons from their atomic bonds
(ionization) in the targeted food. This treatment is used to preserve food, reduce the
risk of food borne illness, prevent the spread of invasive pests, and delay or
eliminate sprouting or ripening. Irradiated food does not become radioactive. The
radiation can be emitted by a radioactive substance or generated electrically.
o Although consumer perception of foods treated with irradiation is more negative
than those processed by other means, a large amount of independent research
has confirmed irradiation to be safe. One family of chemicals (2ACB's) are
uniquely formed by irradiation (unique radiolytic products), and this product is
nontoxic. When irradiating food, all other chemicals occur in a lower or
comparable frequency to other food processing techniques.
o Food irradiation is permitted by over 60 countries, with about 500,000 metric tons
of food annually processed worldwide. The regulations that dictate how food is
to be irradiated, as well as the food allowed to be irradiated, vary greatly from
country to country. In Austria, Germany, and many other countries of the
European Union only dried herbs, spices, and seasonings can be processed with
irradiation and only at a specific dose, while in Brazil all foods are allowed at any
dose.
Sprouting: nảy mầm; ripening: chín; 2ACB’s: 2-alkylcyclobutanones; dictate: bắt buộc
17  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the USDA have approved
irradiation of the following foods and purposes:
o Packaged refrigerated or frozen red meat — to control pathogens (E. Coli
O157:H7 and Salmonella), and to extend shelf life.
o Packaged poultry — control pathogens (Salmonella and Camplylobacter).
o Fresh fruits, vegetables and grains — to control insects and inhibit growth,
ripening and sprouting.
o Pork — to control trichinosis.
o Herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings — to control insects and microorganisms.
o Dry or dehydrated enzyme preparations — to control insects and
microorganisms.
o White potatoes — to inhibit sprout development.
o Wheat and wheat flour — to control insects.
o Loose or bagged fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach.

Trichonosis: một loại bệnh do kí sinh trùng;

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6 log of
cell
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 Timeline of the history of food irradiation
o 1895 Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers X-rays
("bremsstrahlung", from German for radiation
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produced by deceleration)
o 1896 Antoine Henri Becquerel discovers natural
radioactivity; Minck proposes the therapeutic use
o 1904 Samuel Prescott describes the bactericide
effects Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
o 1906 Appleby & Banks: UK patent to use radioactive
isotopes to irradiate particulate food in a flowing
bed
o 1918 Gillett: U.S. Patent to use X-rays for the
preservation of food
o 1921 Schwartz describes the elimination of Trichinella
from food
o 1930 Wuest: French patent on food irradiation
o 1943 MIT becomes active in the field of food
preservation for the U.S. Army
o 1951 U.S. Atomic Energy Commission begins to co-
ordinate national research activities
o 1958 World first commercial food irradiation (spices)
at Stuttgart, Germany
o 1970 Establishment of the International Food
Irradiation Project (IFIP), headquarters at the Federal
Research Centre for Food Preservation, Karlsruhe,
Germany
o 1980 FAO/IAEA/WHO Joint Expert Committee on
Food Irradiation recommends the clearance
generally up to 10 kGy "overall average dose"
o 1981/1983 End of IFIP after reaching its goals
o 1983 Codex Alimentarius General Standard for
Irradiated Foods: any food at a maximum "overall
average dose" of 10 kGy
o 1984 International Consultative Group on Food
Irradiation (ICGFI) becomes the successor of IFIP
o 1998 The European Union's Scientific Committee on
Food (SCF) voted "positive" on eight categories of
irradiation applications
o 1997 FAO/IAEA/WHO Joint Study Group on High-
Dose Irradiation recommends to lift any upper dose
limit
o 1999 The European Union issues Directives 1999/2/EC
(framework Directive) and 1999/3/EC (implementing
Directive) limiting irradiation a positive list whose sole
content is one of the eight categories approved by
the SFC, but allowing the individual states to give
clearances for any food previously approved by the
SFC.
o 2000 Germany leads a veto on a measure to provide
a final draft for the positive list.
o 2003 Codex Alimentarius General Standard for
Irradiated Foods: no longer any upper dose limit
o 2003 The SCF adopts a "revised opinion" that
recommends against the cancellation of the upper
dose limit.
o 2004 ICGFI ends
o 2011 The successor to the SFC, European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA), reexamines the SFC's list and makes
further recommendations for inclusion.
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Spice=condiment: gia vị
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Microwave irradiation
o Microwaves act indirectly on micro-organisms through the
generation of heat. When a food containing water is placed in a
microwave field, the dipolar water molecules align themselves with
the field.
o As the field reverses its polarity 2 or 5 x l09 times each second,
depending on the frequency used, the water molecules are
continually oscillating.
o This kinetic energy is transmitted to neighbouring molecules leading
to a rapid rise in temperature throughout the product. In foods with
a high salt content, surface heating due to ions acquiring kinetic
energy from the microwave field can also contribute, but this is
generally of minor importance.

reverses its polarity: đảo cực; oscilating: dao động; align: làm thẳng hàng
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UV irradiation
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Quanta: phần; induce: gây ra

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30 4.3. LOW-TEMPERATURE STORAGE –
CHILLING AND FREEZING
Chill storage
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Infrastructure: hạ tầng; ease: giảm bớt

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Freezing storage
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36 4.4. CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES
Organic acid and esters
Further reading: http://www.fao.org/gsfaonline/additives/index.html
http://www.fao.org/docrep/V5030E/V5030E0d.htm
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Nitrite (NaNO2)
o Sodium nitrite has been found to inhibit growth of disease-causing microorganisms;
give taste and color to the meat; and inhibit lipid oxidation that leads to
rancidity. The ability of sodium nitrite to address the above-mentioned issues has
led to production of meat with improved food safety, extended storage life and
improving desirable color/taste. It has the E number E250. Potassium nitrite (E249) is
used in the same way. It is approved for usage in the EU, USA and Australia and
New Zealand.
o Sodium nitrite is well known for its role in inhibiting the growth of Clostridium
botulinum spores in refrigerated meats. The mechanism for this activity results from
the inhibition of iron-sulfur clusters essential to energy metabolism of Clostridium
botulinum. However, sodium nitrite has had varying degrees of effectiveness for
controlling growth of other spoilage or disease causing microorganisms. Even
though the inhibitory mechanisms for sodium nitrite are not well known, its
effectiveness depends on several factors including residual nitrite level, pH, salt
concentration, reductants present and iron content Furthermore, the type
of bacteria also affects sodium nitrites effectiveness. It is generally agreed upon
that sodium nitrite is not considered effective for controlling gram-negative enteric
pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli.
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o Taste and color: The appearance and taste of meat is an important component of
consumer acceptance. Sodium nitrite is responsible for the desirable red color (or
shaded pink) of meat. Very little nitrite is needed to induce this change. It has been
reported that as little as 2 to 14 parts per million (ppm) is needed to induce this
desirable color change.
o However, to extend the lifespan of this color change, significantly higher levels are
needed. The mechanism responsible for this color change is the formation of
nitrosylating agents by nitrite, which has the ability to transfer nitric oxide that
subsequently reacts with myoglobin to produce the cured meat color. The unique
taste associated with cured meat is also affected by the addition of sodium
nitrite. However, the mechanism underlying this change in taste is still not fully
understood
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o Inhibition of lipid oxidation: Sodium nitrite is also able to effectively delay the
development of oxidative rancidity. Lipid oxidation is considered to be a
major reason for the deterioration of quality of meat products (rancidity and
unappetizing flavors).
o Sodium nitrite acts as an antioxidant in a mechanism similar to the one
responsible for the coloring affect. Nitrite reacts with heme proteins and
metal ions, neutralizing free radicals by nitric oxide (one of its
byproducts). Neutralization of these free radicals terminates the cycle
of lipid oxidation that leads to rancidity.
o Further reading:
Sodium nitrite
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Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

o Further reading: http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v042je06.htm
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Natural Food Preservatives

50 4.5. CONTROL OF WATER ACTIVITY
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4.7. FURTHER READINGS

Thông tư 24/2019/TT-BYT quy định về quản lý và sử dụng phụ gia thực phẩm
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