7 replies to this topic

[Rener De Jesus]

Hello guys! I know many here are knowledageable about microbiology of pasteurized products. We are producing fruit juices which undergone pasteurization. We got a very low 2 CFU/ml TPC. Because of this, my immediate supervisor told me to do retest because pasteurized fruit juice should be <1. As far as I know, pasteurization "reduces" microorganisms not "kill all of them". They think that, pasteurization does kill all. I already defended my side but I really need a much better answer for them. Any good suggestions from all of you guys? Thanks in advance.

[qualityfishgirl11]

Can you give more information, what type of juice- is it pH ,4.6, is it shelf stable?

You cannot neglect the possibility that the juice could be contaminated post process too. Is there a leak in the container? 

[FurFarmandFork]

It would depend on your product, but I would generally expect no detected organisms in TPC in a pasteurized product as well..but it depends on shelf life, sporulation times, and whether you tested immediately after pasturization, days after you will generally have growth again from sporulating organisms.

 

Remind them that milk spoils even in a sealed container, and it's pasteurized just as or more effectively than your juice. But your actual micro limits are going to vary depending on your product and you have to define your own limits.

 

More concerning is your supervisor's opinion that you should "retest because pasteurized fruit juice should be <1."

 

That indicates that they don't see the test result as "pasteurization may have not worked correctly and we need to investigate" to "you got the wrong test result, retest until it's correct". That language/opinion is dangerous and you need to make sure they don't treat inconvenient micro results as a "retest until good" instead of asking why.

[Rener De Jesus]

It's orange juice and the pH is around 3.5. There aren't any leaks and the products were pre-incubated at 23 degrees celsius. The bacerial colony I've isolated is looked like a slime molds(myxomycetes). I am sure it is not mold. No Yeast and molds were isolated from orange serum agar.

[Rener De Jesus]

Thank you @qualityfishgirl11 and @FurFarmandFork.

[Rener De Jesus]

Probably, you are definitely right. Retest is part of investigation like non-conformance incidence or OOS.

I am suspecting the CIP process because the count was found on the first three batches then no counts were observed from succeeding batches. Also, we were on "no production" status for a month and we before we begin the process, we conducted CIP once. So, I consider that a CIP is not enough we should conducted the CIP a week before or days before and a day before the actual production (twice).

[Rener De Jesus]

It would depend on your product, but I would generally expect no detected organisms in TPC in a pasteurized product as well..but it depends on shelf life, sporulation times, and whether you tested immediately after pasturization, days after you will generally have growth again from sporulating organisms.

Remind them that milk spoils even in a sealed container, and it's pasteurized just as or more effectively than your juice. But your actual micro limits are going to vary depending on your product and you have to define your own limits.

More concerning is your supervisor's opinion that you should "retest because pasteurized fruit juice should be <1."

That indicates that they don't see the test result as "pasteurization may have not worked correctly and we need to investigate" to "you got the wrong test result, retest until it's correct". That language/opinion is dangerous and you need to make sure they don't treat inconvenient micro results as a "retest until good" instead of asking why.

[Charles.C]

Sounds more like a process for sterilization rather than pasteurisation.