ARS | Publication request: Contamination or changes of food factors during processing and modleing-safety related issue

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 5, 2011
Publication Date: November 20, 2011
Citation: Sheen, S. 2011. Contamination or changes of food factors during processing and modleing-safety related issue. Meeting Abstract. 2011 International Conference on Food Factors, Taipei, Taiwan, November 20-23, 2011., Volume 1, page 1.

Technical Abstract: Cross-contamination and food property changes, including chemical and physical, are common during food processing and preservation. The contamination may involve microbial and chemical aspects resulted in food-borne pathogen outbreaks and/or poisons. Chemical contaminations are most likely from the pesticide residuals and illegal food additives which can be better controlled and/or monitored than those by microbes. Food factors related to nutrition, color, textures and etc. are typically affected by temperature, pH, moisture content and physical parameters (e.g. stress) during processing as well as those factors caused by microbial activities. The chemical-related degradation can be estimated using the first-order reaction model in most cases. Texture changes were also observed in meat or seafood cooked with microwave where uneven heating may significantly damage meat proteins. High hydrostatic pressure (300-400 MPa) showed protein deterioration impact on oysters. Surface shear/stress may also impose negative effects on food texture but may reduce microbes. The microbiology impact is more complicated to predict due to the continuously changing environment associated with the growth/survival potential as a function of multiple factors. If harmful microbes are not completed eliminated during processing, they may survive and grow to a dangerous level which causes spoilage and human illness. Chemical reaction models were found not suitable to describe the microbial case without modifications. The PMP and ComBase are two useful tools (a collection of data and models) to predict food-borne pathogen growth and inactivation in different foods. When models are validated, they can be used in risk assessment to enhance food safety.