Cooked Rice Products, Bacillus Cereus and Clostridium Botulinum
Hi,
I have a couple of questions that I would really like some advice on. I think I know the answers but would really appreciate some validation.
The products are three different types of flavoured cooked rice, the flavouring is the same on all three types (Basmati, Long Grain & Jasmine) vacuum packed for either direct consumption or further reheating by the consumer. It has various spices (fresh and ground) and chopped onion also.
This sets off alarm bells in many ways for me. I queried the cooling methodology as the boiled product was allowed to cool at room temperature before being vacuumed packed into pouches. I was told that the preservatives added would eliminate the microbes, but the Potassium Sorbate used is a fungicide, and while it does lower the pH of the product, Clostridium botulinum can withstand acidic environments. Am I correct in thinking this is not a good enough control measure? Given that the product is vacuum packed and in the absence of oxygen.
This products are to be sold as ambient products not chilled, my previous knowledge tells me that the quicker a product can be cooled to below the danger zone temps the better (before packaging) .. would this be the case for rice sold as ambient and not chilled? I feel that it should be but am meeting with objection when I've stated this. I'm conscious of the spore forming Bacillus cereus and the need to cool quickly and be cautious about reheating. Am I being too pedantic?
Kind Regards & Thanks
You are on the right track
https://catersafecon...ered-high-risk/
"The problem arises when the rice is left out post cooking and enters the temperature rage commonly referred to as the ‘danger zone’ (5ºC – 63ºC, but particularly 20ºC – 50ºC). Once the temperature is favourable, the spores will then begin to germinate, and will release exotoxins in the rice. It is these toxins which cause food poisoning. The symptoms of Bacillus Cereus food poisoning are often vomiting and diarrhoea and in most cases generally last for about 24 hours; unpleasant and unwanted. It is also worth mentioning however, that there is a second type of Bacillus Cereus which produces an enterotoxin within the intestine. The incubation period for this is often slightly longer than the first type (12 – 24 hours), with the symptoms primarily being abdominal pain, diarrhoea and fever"
Control measures
Freshly and thoroughly cooked, steaming rice should be safe. The problem comes when rice is left to cool slowly and the bacteria go into overdrive, specifically between the temperatures of 28ºC and 35ºC. The longer the rice remains left out of temperature control once cooked and is not adequately cooled and refrigerated, the greater the risk. Avoid rice that has been left out for too long, it really isn’t worth chancing it!
Hi,
I have a couple of questions that I would really like some advice on. I think I know the answers but would really appreciate some validation.
The products are three different types of flavoured cooked rice, the flavouring is the same on all three types (Basmati, Long Grain & Jasmine) vacuum packed for either direct consumption or further reheating by the consumer. It has various spices (fresh and ground) and chopped onion also.
This sets off alarm bells in many ways for me. I queried the cooling methodology as the boiled product was allowed to cool at room temperature before being vacuumed packed into pouches. I was told that the preservatives added would eliminate the microbes, but the Potassium Sorbate used is a fungicide, and while it does lower the pH of the product, Clostridium botulinum can withstand acidic environments. Am I correct in thinking this is not a good enough control measure? Given that the product is vacuum packed and in the absence of oxygen.
This products are to be sold as ambient products not chilled, my previous knowledge tells me that the quicker a product can be cooled to below the danger zone temps the better (before packaging) .. would this be the case for rice sold as ambient and not chilled? I feel that it should be but am meeting with objection when I've stated this. I'm conscious of the spore forming Bacillus cereus and the need to cool quickly and be cautious about reheating. Am I being too pedantic?
Kind Regards & Thanks
Hi Dee,
You have omitted at least one critical datum. Assuming RTE, what is the intended shelf-life at ambient (or chilled) temperatures using vac pack. ?
There are 2 microbial safety-related stages involved as discussed below. (Quality factors should also be considered (separately)).
(1) The Production Process prior to packaging/storage needs to deliver a product of satisfactory microbial safety = f(pathogens/ raw material/cooking T-t,, cooling T-t)
(The potential pathogens, typically, minimally, involve Salmonella, B.cereus, L.monocytogenes).
(2) Ambient/chilled packaging storage requires validation that a satisfactory input retains its microbial safety up to end of intended shelf life = f( absence significant pathogenic microbial growth/toxin production)
The requirements for (1) as discussed in Post 2 are covered in several previous threads/haccp plans here so i will jump to (2).
I anticipate that ambient will have even stricter requirements than chilled so latter is perhaps a useful 1st target for analysis of requirements.
In UK this chilled topic is Regulatory controlled in considerable detail. See the 1st attachment in this Post (and decision tree mentioned) -
https://www.ifsqn.co...nt/#entry161775
The suitability of Potassium Sorbate re. C.botulinum will probably need to be validated as per parameters discussed within the decision tree referred above.
PS - for some (optimistic ?) ideas on shelf life can see -
https://www.firstfoo...-vacuum-sealed/