Studies on the Gas Sterilization of the Spices with Gaseous Ethylene Oxide

Abstract

This paper describes the results of gas sterilization with ethylen oxide for 13 kinds of the spice in the laboratory and factory scheme.
Living bacteria in spices, such as pepper, white pepper, nutmeg, garlic, onion, mace, ginger, red pepper, and mixed spice, were almost all killed by exposing to 800-1500mg per m³ volume of ethylene oxide vapor for period of 24 hours at about 30°C. But, to achieve sterilization of black pepper, coriander, and curry the double treatments under the same conditions as mentioned above are necessary.