Bacillus Cereus in Dried Vegetables
We make dried soups and entree mixes as a small portion of our business. We are currently reviewing our HACCP plan, raw material hazard analysis specifically, and I'm getting stumped by some of the biological hazard analysis I am coming up with. Our dried vegetables that we buy in are not tested for Bacillus cereus, which my research shows tends to appear often in dried vegetables. None of our many suppliers test for B.cereus. I've also seen many research articles stating that of most vegetables samples, many had B.cereus in some amount.
The soups and entrees must be boiled then left to simmer before they are safe to eat. Is this the control of this bacteria? The end user cook step?
Should I push my suppliers to test for B.cereus or is it like Flour suppliers who don't test microbes because there will almost always be some bacteria (E.Coli) in the flour?
Please help!!! :)
We make dried soups and entree mixes as a small portion of our business. We are currently reviewing our HACCP plan, raw material hazard analysis specifically, and I'm getting stumped by some of the biological hazard analysis I am coming up with. Our dried vegetables that we buy in are not tested for Bacillus cereus, which my research shows tends to appear often in dried vegetables. None of our many suppliers test for B.cereus. I've also seen many research articles stating that of most vegetables samples, many had B.cereus in some amount.
The soups and entrees must be boiled then left to simmer before they are safe to eat. Is this the control of this bacteria? The end user cook step?
Should I push my suppliers to test for B.cereus or is it like Flour suppliers who don't test microbes because there will almost always be some bacteria (E.Coli) in the flour?
Please help!!! :)
Cooking your soup will control B. cereus. I wouldn't push them personally.
The reason your suppliers aren't likely testing for it - they will say the water activity is low enough to control the hazard.
We make dried soups and entree mixes as a small portion of our business. We are currently reviewing our HACCP plan, raw material hazard analysis specifically, and I'm getting stumped by some of the biological hazard analysis I am coming up with. Our dried vegetables that we buy in are not tested for Bacillus cereus, which my research shows tends to appear often in dried vegetables. None of our many suppliers test for B.cereus. I've also seen many research articles stating that of most vegetables samples, many had B.cereus in some amount.
The soups and entrees must be boiled then left to simmer before they are safe to eat. Is this the control of this bacteria? The end user cook step?
Should I push my suppliers to test for B.cereus or is it like Flour suppliers who don't test microbes because there will almost always be some bacteria (E.Coli) in the flour?
Please help!!! :)
Hi YNA,
From archives -
Hazards
(no process lethal step)
heat resistant (sporing) bacteria - B.cereus, C.perfringens
preformed toxins - mycotoxins, S.aureus enterotoxin
Other vegetative bacteria - killed by consumer treatment / hot water > 80degC / v.short holding
Control Options
1. Raw Materials
(i) A level of C.perfringens of 100/g or B.Cereus 1000/g can lead to poisoning when product abuse follows rehydration.
Level of concern -Medium, Control Option - Quality assured supplies. batch testing.
(ii) Preformed toxins - (LoC) Low - (CO) Quality Assured Supplies
2.Sieve and sort.
prevent contamination with spores - low - housekeeping, drycleaning design
3.dispense and mixer
control moisture content, aw - low - maintenance
4.batching bins and hopper
control moisture content aw - low - (see below)
prevent contamination with spores - low - keep water out of process area and humidity control
5.doser
control moisture content - low -dryclean