2 replies to this topic

[SCG]

Hi!

 

I am developing a HACCP plan for a juice processing facility. The finished product has a pH <4.6 and it is pasteurized and hot filled into bags. Product is sold and stored at room temperature.

Would a monitored (CCP) cooling step be necessary? The FDA two stage cooling process would require that the juice is cooled down from 135F to 70F (57C to 21C) in two hours. I am not sure if this applies to all food categories or just to high risk TCS foods.

 

Any inputs and links to relevant information is greatly appreciated.

[pHruit]

If your pasteurisation and hot-fill process is genuinely capable of achieving ambient-stable product then, unless there is a specific regulatory requirement in Canada, the cooling stage should not be relevant from a food safety or microbiological spoilage perspective. To be ambient stable you'll have to have effectively killed all viable pathogenic and spoilage organisms, so sitting in the temperature "danger zone" doesn't pose a risk as there is nothing viable that can grow.

Nonetheless you may want to look at a cooling process from a quality perspective, as larger packs (particularly if they're boxed and stacked on pallets) will hold heat longer, and this will accelerate the rate of colour change, flavour/aroma damage etc that are already one of the inherent compromises of pasteurisation.

[tahoeskier]

You can find much information in the FDA juice haccp documents.