Micro Kill Step Lag
Hello, I'm looking at a new process for brining and then drying and have some micro (listeria, salmonella) concerns with how I want to go about this.
My brining process with a near boil for almost two hours has shown to be an adequate kill step (time and temperature & internal temperature) through bench testing. However, my concern is that the drying process is so slow and low temp around 100 F, that I am worried about growth after the kill step as the product would still be wet and in a high humidity environment for nearly 8 hours before it is completely dried down and has an aW of less 0.3.
Thoughts?
Are you adding a preservative of any kind or are you relying on the salt content. Also, only drying no smoking involved?
Are you adding a preservative of any kind or are you relying on the salt content. Also, only drying no smoking involved?
No preservatives. Not smoking. Just approximately 100 F heat blown up through a mesh bed.
I'm guessing your making a meat product of some kind correct me if i'm wrong
Have you tested the aw pre drying and post brining? Sometimes the brining alone is enough to get you below .85, which makes your product significantly safe whilst drying.
The 100F makes me nervous..............that's right smack dab in the middle of the danger zone................is your product fully cured once out of the brine?
I'm guessing your making a meat product of some kind correct me if i'm wrong
Have you tested the aw pre drying and post brining? Sometimes the brining alone is enough to get you below .85, which makes your product significantly safe whilst drying.
The 100F makes me nervous..............that's right smack dab in the middle of the danger zone................is your product fully cured once out of the brine?
It's a seed product. So coming out of the brine it will be very high aW.
what the pH out of the brine on the seed product?
The high humidity you mention is definitely a concern, as ideally you should be removing moisture from the drying room during the process to keep microbial growth to a minimum, you need extractor fans for this job.
Any particular reason to keep the temp that low?