6 replies to this topic

[Yasmeen_05]

Hello everyone,

I am seeking a validation study to support regulatory approval. This study must demonstrate that our cooking instructions achieve a minimum 5-log reduction in L. monocytogenes. The study will confirm that the specified endpoint temperature of 74°C (165°F) is consistently met.
Our instructions on the label for consumers are: Bake at 425°F for 10-12 minutes. 

If anyone has the study or any information, kindly share.

 

Thank you!

[GMO]

You'd need to do that in a set of test ovens yourself as it will not be valid for another product.

Campden have a white paper on some aspects of this which is quite useful:  Food reheating instructions for safe, high quality foods at Campden BRI

 

Click on "download white paper" which has loads more information.

Assuming this is chilled not frozen pizza with those cooking times but the impact of failure on this as you know is huge. 

 

E. Coli Outbreak Deaths Prompt Frozen Pizza Recall in France | Food Safety

 

I'd build in some comfort margins into your reheat because you will be reliant on the consumer and most people won't see an undercooked pizza as dangerous. Also I'd suggest preheating the oven (or failing to) is reasonably foreseeable consumer misuse.

[Tony-C]

Hi Yasmeen_05,

 

 

Welcome to the IFSQN forums

 

You will almost certainly need to do your own validation because pizza sizes and thickness varies.

 

Quite like that guidance that GMO has posted a link to, well worth having a look.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

 

[Yasmeen_05]

Thank you all, I actually have to provide the proof of validation by scientific literature. This is what CFIA asked for:

 

 "As long as you fulfil those criteria of cooking instruction on the label that satisfactorily achieves a minimum 5-log reduction in numbers of L. monocytogenes and has an endpoint time and temp mentioned (74 degrees C) then you will not need a listeria policy. These must be validated by a study".

 

What should I do in this case? 

 

Regards,

Yasmeen.

[Tony-C]

Hi Yasmeen,

 

There are two aspect to this:

1. Ideally you want scientific evidence/literature that 74C achieves a 5 log reduction of L.m in the components of your pizza (if not then you will need to prove a minimum 5 log reduction during 2).

2. You need to carry out your own challenge studies to demonstrate that your cooking instructions achieve a minimum of 74C in your pizzas.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

[GMO]

Agree with Tony.

On the temperature, try a bit of google scholar searching for similar products. Also food research places (like Campden but I'm sure you have a Canadian equivalent) can be helpful. However, there would be nothing wrong in referencing the white paper I already linked for you. It contains this statement:

 

"For food safety, the generally accepted thermal process is that the slowest heating location within the food (cold spot) must achieve an equivalent process to two minutes at a temperature of 70 ⁰C. This has been proven to reduce Listeria monocyogenes numbers one million fold."

 

It also has a helpful table on p3 on what time and temperature combinations are equivalent. (74oC would be for 36 seconds.)

 

So therefore, just using this resource, you could use it as a source of why that temperature and then prove through datalogging that the temperature is consistently achieved following cooking instructions with a reasonable level of consumer misuse but there will be other sources out there you can use, an academic paper or text would be good. Sorry that I'm so UK focused but the Chilled Food Association is another great source for things like this in the UK. You must have loads of equivalent bodies.

[Yasmeen_05]

Thanks to both of you for the insight and helping me on this matter.