Prediction of Microbial Death During Drying of a Macaroni Product

Abstract

Death of Staphylococcus aureus 196E in a semolina-egg dough was studied during a variable temperature simulated drying test. Data for the death rate constant of the organism collected under steady state conditions of constant temperature and water activity were used to predict the amount of death occurring in the unsteady state test. Very good agreement was found. Utilizing the steady state information it was predicted that over 5-log cycles of kill would occur for S. aureus 196E and Salmonellae anatum NF3 during the pasta drying process. This indicates that kill caused by the process itself may not be enough if high levels of these pathogens occur initially in the dough.