Abstract
Low-moisture food ingredients, particularly spices, have been implicated in numerous salmonellosis outbreaks globally. This research paper evaluates the thermal inactivation kinetics of Salmonella enterica serovars on whole black peppercorns and ground cumin under controlled humidity conditions.
Methodology & Results
Samples were conditioned to distinct water activity levels (Aw = 0.30, 0.45, 0.60) and subjected to isothermal heat treatments. Results demonstrate that microbial heat resistance increases exponentially as product moisture decreases. At 80°C, the D-value of Salmonella on black peppercorns shifted from 4.2 minutes at 0.60 Aw to 28.5 minutes at 0.30 Aw. Effective steam pasteurization protocols must integrate surface humidity monitoring to secure required 5-log microbial reductions comfortably.
Conclusion
Industrial food processors must adjust steam dwell times according to raw ingredient moisture fluctuations rather than relying on uniform baseline thermal parameters.