Can Brix Value help to determine microbial growth?

Hi All,

Can the brix value of food can help determine microbial growth?

Regards,

Adrian

Hi All,

 

Can the brix value of food can help determine microbial growth?

 

 

Regards,

 

Adrian

Not directly.  The ability of bacteria to grow would be dependent on access to the resources it needs to grow; the presence of sugar will be a potential to help bacterial growth if the Aw is high but the presence of high levels of sugar could restrict bacterial growth by reducing the Aw.

Basically, in a chocolate and confectionery for chemical characteristic of the product pH, moisture and brix are all irrelevant. Hence, we just need to test for Aw? since there is no regulatory standard existing in the chemical properties of chocolates and confectionery in Saudi Arabia, Test for Aw will be sufficient for our HACCP documentation for ISO 22000?

Basically, in a chocolate and confectionery for chemical characteristic of the product pH, moisture and brix are all irrelevant. Hence, we just need to test for Aw? since there is no regulatory standard existing in the chemical properties of chocolates and confectionery in Saudi Arabia, Test for Aw will be sufficient for our HACCP documentation for ISO 22000?

Hi Adrian,

Looks like a related question to this thread ?

http://www.ifsqn.com...ery/#entry99812

The analytical  "tests" required for yr "HACCP documentation"  will relate to yr haccp plan/system. The tests are related to haccp requirements such as validation/verification/monitoring of items such as PRPs/CCPs/OPRPs.

The sequence of haccp development stages are initially based on "Codex haccp" but as adjusted/focused for the iso22000 standard.

Basically, in a chocolate and confectionery for chemical characteristic of the product pH, moisture and brix are all irrelevant. Hence, we just need to test for Aw? since there is no regulatory standard existing in the chemical properties of chocolates and confectionery in Saudi Arabia, Test for Aw will be sufficient for our HACCP documentation for ISO 22000?

In chocolate Aw is no guarantee of safety either.  I would go back to HACCP and who is in place to protect your product.  Your cocoa roasting, cocoa liquor and / or conching processes might be sufficient to kill Salmonellae which would be my main concern in chocolate.  Remember that all Aw tells you is likelihood of growth, not likelihood of presence.  Presence alone for Salmonellae is enough to cause illness in chocolate. 

Hi All,

 

Can the brix value of food can help determine microbial growth?

 

 

Regards,

 

Adrian

Hi Adrian ,

Not Directly , The Brix Value  is determined the presence of Total Soluble Solids and Moisture content of the Foods . For Microbial Growth , Microbes are required the Moisture for their survives . Based on the Requirement of Aw [Water Activity] , The Microbes are classified and Microbial growth is fully depend upon the following factor which is INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC FACTORS.

Hello,

like GMO told, in chocolate the Aw-value, sugar content or something else will not give good results for you. Like it is written in chocolate the highest potential for helath are Salmonella. And these bacteria will also survive for months in chocolate. So you have to ensure, you are using a proper killing step (e.g. temperature for a dedicated time and minimum water content). And after this killing step the risk evaluation should show up no further risk of recontamination.

During my former work for fine food, the Brix-value and pH-value have been also limits for the pasteurization and the shelf life afterwards. But for chocolate it will not solve the problems of salmonella.

Yours

Werner

Hello,

like GMO told, in chocolate the Aw-value, sugar content or something else will not give good results for you. Like it is written in chocolate the highest potential for helath are Salmonella. And these bacteria will also survive for moths in chocolate. So you have to ensure, you are using a proper killing step (e.g. temperature for a dedicated time and minimum water content). And after this killing step the risk evaluation should show up no further risk of recontamination.

 

During my former work for fine food, the Brix-value and pH-value have been also limits for the pasteurization and the shelf life afterwards. But for chocolate it will not solve the problems of salmonella.

 

Yours

Werner

What about corn syrup? Does Aw or Brix value help testing corn syrup for microbiological risks? Sorry I never really liked micro during undergrad

Hi,

brix (-> measurement of an overall "density") can help to make a frist assumptions on the possibility of mircorbial growth as long as you know what the composition of the matrix is. Not more. It is a difference whether you measure  Corn syrup of 72 % brix or high concentrated acid.

Brix does not tell anything about the presence of micros (e.g. Salmonella in chocolate). What you can say is that the number of the present micros will not increase, if...

For a risk assessment you will need the micro count and the water activity (aw).

Rgds

moscito

Hi,

 

brix (-> measurement of an overall "density") can help to make a frist assumptions on the possibility of mircorbial growth as long as you know what the composition of the matrix is. Not more. It is a difference whether you measure  Corn syrup of 72 % brix or high concentrated acid.

Brix does not tell anything about the presence of micros (e.g. Salmonella in chocolate). What you can say is that the number of the present micros will not increase, if...

For a risk assessment you will need the micro count and the water activity (aw).

 

Rgds

moscito

Hi moskito,

Actually, for Salmonella, a count is (legally) not usually required.