Control of contamination by filamentous fungi, and heat resistant actinomycetes in aseptically processed tomato derivatives

• Grant number: 96/06398-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Duration: March 01, 1997 - March 31, 2000
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Pilar Rodriguez de Massaguer
• Grantee: Pilar Rodriguez de Massaguer
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Host Company: Tetra Pak Ltda
• City: Campinas

Abstract

This project aimed to quantify and identify the flora of mildews and heat resistant actinomycetes in tomato juice and pulp processed aseptically in Tetra Pak packaging and to evaluate the presence of patulin and verrucologen mycotoxins in the final product of these derivatives. The characteristics were also determined of the content of residual oxygen, pH and permeability of the packaging that might contribute to the development of these microorganisms. The study made it possible to establish the sources of contamination and, after the identification and selective screening of the most resistant organisms, the thermal resistance of these mildews was evaluated and compared to the resistance of bacterial targets normally used to establish the thermal process of acidic foodstuffs (CI. pasteurianum and B. coagulans), using as a substrate the derived tomato products produced by processing factories. The level of sterilization required by the product was established and the re-dimensioned thermal process (retention time, temperature) was tested. The processes, once the methodologies of control and quantification were validated, were passed on to the participating industries. (AU)