2 replies to this topic

[Snitzel]

Hello everybody, I dont know if this is the proper place for my question (maybe it should be in the HACCP discussion area), anyway...
I am currently working on preparing a HACCP plan for spices and other additives blends. (ie: a mix of pepper, dexrtose, smoke extract, nitrites, oregano).
All the ingredients used are powdered (no liquids or high moisture containing materials).
The blends will not receive some sort of treatment after packaging (thermal processing, irradiation etc), and the raw materials used are not sterillised.
Is the moisture content or the water activity of the final blend enough to ensure microbiological stability of the end products??
Anyone that can help with the norm of the particular industry in these cases?

[Charles.C]

Dear snitzel,

This is a very wide subject. Some background information here -

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Departme...sf/all/fss14864

From what you say, it would appear quite likely that yr product will be contaminated via microbiologically unsafe raw material.

Rgds / Charles.C

[Snitzel]

From what you say, it would appear quite likely that yr product will be contaminated via microbiologically unsafe raw material.

Dear Charles,
I agree 100% with this. The only think that comes to my mind, as a control, is to have a positive realease system in place for all raw materials (after microbiological analysis).
The question is what is the standard practice in the additives industry for these type of products.
I know for sure that most of the additive blends are not treated to reduce micros (different prices for treated/ untreated blends, also in many cases the composition is such that any treatment will result in major loss of sensory characteristics).
Therefore they either work with some sort of positive release either for incoming materials or end products...