Effects of pH Control on Commercial Sterility in the Production of Hot-Filling Tomato Juice

Abstract

In the previous study, we reported it is required for hot-filling tomato juice products which pH value are below 4.6 and distributed at normal temperature, that the heat treatment at 121℃ for 1.5 minutes, based on spores of Genus Thermoanaerobacterium as an indicator. As a results of the previousstudy, the current sterilization conditions at 121℃ for 0.7 minutes were insufficient for proper sterilization. The objective of this study is to aim at easing the heat commercial sterilization conditions for tomato juice with a low pH control in the process of mass production. Our new findings were as follows. The required sterilization conditions were a D_121℃-value of 0.12 minutes, a z-value of 11.2℃, and an F_121℃-value of 0.6 minutes (D-value×5) based on the condition under lower pH 4.4 as a successful heat sterilization indicator for B. subtilis group. Because the growth of Genus Thermoanaerobacterium spores are inhibited in tomato juice products under the above pH condition.