Adding spices post lethality

Has anyone ever added spices to a product post lethality?  If so, what method did you use and is there any supporting evidence to back it?

A few times.  The topical material needs to be able to pass as RTE independently of what you're applying it to.  

Basically: RTE+RTE = RTE

Hi johnsloan67,

Presuming this is a high-care product, BRCGS requires:

All microbiologically susceptible components have received a process to reduce the microbiological contamination to acceptable levels (typically a 1–2 log reduction of micro-organisms such as Listeria species) before entry to the area.

There have been sandwich recalls historically due to contaminated herbs/spices so an adequate treatment such as UV or irradiation is required. You might find this from Campden useful: Decontamination of herbs and spices – process validation and challenge testing for both established and emerging technologies

Kind regards,

Tony

Easier to use treated spices for RTE. For Organic, you can use steam treated but they must have a validated process.

It's important to understand the product application.  So for example, something which might be fine on a low water activity product might not be in a high water activity or high fat product as either the pathogen could grow or be protected by the fat (particularly Salmonellae).

I did find though some companies are keen on the "test it and see if there are pathogens there".  After I stop hyperventilating and wondering how people missed the bit about prevention of risk in HACCP, I normally try contacting the supplier and have, normally found that the herbs and spices are heat treated.  That said, when I was working in this area, it was many years ago and as Tony has pointed out, the typical time / temperature combinations may not be enough some of the time for this kind of ingredient.  

What's your product?  We may be able to advise more?