Microbial Acceptable Level in End Product for Canned Meat Products
Dear all,
I am doing the Hazard analysis for the Canned meat products. I need the help for microbial acceptance level in end products.
Understand that microbiological standards for canned meat products should be Commercial sterility, so shall I put it as commercial sterility?
Looking forward for your opinion, Thank you very much!
Dear all,
I am doing the Hazard analysis for the Canned meat products. I need the help for microbial acceptance level in end products.
Understand that microbiological standards for canned meat products should be Commercial sterility, so shall I put it as commercial sterility?
Looking forward for your opinion, Thank you very much!
Dear chelly,
I assume this is a low-acid canned food.
Not really my product area but I did notice these comments in a Codex document on Canned Vegetables (2009) –
For products that are rendered commercially sterile in accordance with the Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practice for Low-Acid and Acidified Low-Acid Canned Foods (CAC/RCP 23-1979), microbiological criteria are not recommended as they do not offer benefit in providing the consumer with a food that is safe and suitable for consumption.
AFAIK, the specific hazard of safety interest is Clostridium botulinum (spores).
I believe there is more or less a consensus that the minimum process requirement for microbial control of this species is given by –
Low acid foods (pH greater than 4.5) must receive a minimal thermal process of F0,3 (ie 121.1degC for 3min) known as a 'botulinum cook” or an equivalent heat process. This process is considered to achieve at least a 12D reduction for C.botulinum spores.
Accordingly, IMO, the “acceptable level” can be expressed in terms of F0,3 or a 12D bacterial reduction.
I have met a similar situation in some pasteurisation proceses but in that case, both process criteria and microbiological statements were apparently acceptable and in use.
Interested to hear thoughts from the “canners” here.
Rgds / Charles.C
PS (added later) -
In contrast to the above anaysis, i also noticed this (stated-to-be) Indian Standard (2002) for canned meat which suggests a simpler option, ie zero C.botulinum / 25g. Statistically (and technically?) rather questionable IMO but maybe ISO / auditors are flexible over such issues.
India, micro.std canned meat.png 74.42KB 2 downloads
Perhaps you have an equivalent local standard which can be similarly quoted ? :smile: