HPP Safety Validations: a Key Element for the Production of Innovative Dips and Wet Salads October 17, 2016 Lincoln, NE
PhD. Jessie Usaga Visiting Associate Professor, Cornell University Associate Professor, University of Costa Rica 2
Agenda 1. HPP Validation Center at Cornell University 1. Why is HPP trending for treatment of dips and wet salads? 1. Meeting safety regulatory requirements: safety validations 3
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Food Venture Center National HPP Validation Center Dr. Olga Padilla-Zakour Professor Food Processing, Process Authority Chair, Food Science Department Director, Food Venture Center Dr. Randy Worobo Professor Food Microbiology Director, National HPP Validation Center 7
September, 2015 NYS Senator Michael Nozzolio announced $600,000 to bring a new processing technology to NYSAES. National HPP Validation Center: Summer, 2016 Hiperbaric 55 L HPP Validation Center 8
Why is HPP trending for the processing of dips and wet salads? 9
Price Nutrition Clean label CONSUMERS Sensory Formulation, packaging, processing, shelf-life, labeling, regulatory requirements, cost and more Freshness 10
Superior quality (nutrition & sensory) Extended shelf-life Prevent cross-contamination during or after packaging Less or no food preservatives Value-added agricultural products that cannot be heated 11
Dips and wet salads then Dips and wet salads now - Home made recipes and preparation - Short shelf life - Added preservatives - If heat-treated: undesirable color, texture, etc. - Home made recipes, but more convenient - Extended shelf life - Cleaner labels - Fresh, more nutritious and superior quality 12
Industrial HPP Machines vs Food Industries Guacamole Wet salads RTE vegetable meals Pathogen-free sliced cooked meats Preservative-free deli meats Listeria-free dry-cured products Raw beef products Preservative-free sausages Oyster shucking Lobster meat extraction Clam & mussel shucking RTE seafood meals Fruit juices Smoothies Vegetable juices Toll processing Cheese products Global HPP food production in 2012: + 350 000 000 kg / + 770 000 000 lbs
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http://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls/ 15
HPP enhances food safety for consumers as pathogens are destroyed more effectively and efficiently. However Processors shall scientifically demonstrate it (SAFETY VALIDATION) 16
FACTS: HPP treated dips and salads Uniform pressure throughout food mass HPP is not capable of achieving shelf stability (refrigerated or frozen foods) Pressure-induced protein denaturation does occur Treatment conditions to achieve safety target reductions (5-log vegetative bacterial pathogens) 600 MPa for 30-180 s 17
According to FDA and USDA (Food Code), ready-to-eat products are edible without additional preparation to achieve food safety. Keep in mind that HPP is active against vegetative bacteria, yeasts and molds NOT effective against bacterial spores i.e. C. botulinum, C. perfringens, B. cereus, etc. 18
Meeting Safety Regulatory Requirements - Research database of microbial reductions is limited - USDA & FDA log reduction regulation requirements Juice, milk, meat, acidified foods Establishing processing conditions: Safety - Validation studies with foodborne pathogens in commercially prepared packaged finished product - Commercial HPP processing unit must be used Small scale HPP unacceptable - 5 strain cocktails of pertinent pathogen(s) BSL2 requirement for lab space
Establishing Processing Conditions: Safety - Pertinent pathogen(s) for most foods include L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, and E. coli O157:H7 - Cocktail strains from raw or finished product outbreaks - Low acid (ph > 4.6) will have to address C. botulinum
C. botulinum Hurdles for Low Acid Products. Two of the following: Freezing Refrigeration (< 38 F) throughout processing and distribution chain Acidification (ph < 4,6) Dissolved oxygen throughout the shelf life of the product Competing microorganisms (Lactic Acid Bacteria) Still, a 5-log reduction for vegetative bacterial pathogens must be achieved
Current HPP Validation Center Biohazard Level 2
Establishing processing conditions: safety Flexible container 5 strain cocktail, pertinent pathogen (Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella) Varying pressures (500, 550, 600 MPa) and times (30-180 s) Samples are analyzed over the product shelf life to guarantee no pathogen regrowth Conditions achieving the targeted pathogen log inactivation are given in a formal validation report Survival, standardized FDA Bacteriological Analytical Methodology 23
Microbial safety validations Validation report is specific to each product & company Modifications in formulation may require re-validation Grouping of similar products or selecting worse case scenario formulation may be closely scrutinized by regulatory agencies Formulation Intrinsic properties: ph, Brix, a w, salt content, etc. Pre-HPP treatments Pathogen of concern 24
Safe Harbor A safe harbor is defined as a recognized procedure that can be employed without further validation studies Requisite Scientific Parameters for Establishing the Equivalence of Alternative Methods of Pasteurization. Aug 2004. National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods
HPP Research Microbial safe harbors for acidified and low acid foods Effect of acid types and concentration Effect of solids, water activity, preservatives Predicting pathogen inactivation rates Effective C. botulinum hurdles for low acid products Alternative applications Processing effects on organoleptic quality and physicochemical properties
Establishing processing conditions: shelf life & quality Varying pressures and times Physicochemical quality parameters and microbial shelf life over time at retail conditions or accelerated conditions (40, 50, and 60 F) 27
Shelf life & quality evaluations NO organoleptic evaluation of any products after entering HPP laboratory (toll facilities or by HPP manufacturer) ) Recommended that preliminary quality evaluations on products be performed before safety validations Shelf life studies performed after HPP processing conditions (safety) have been established 28
Cornell HPP Validation Center Timeline BSL 2 HPP processing room and lab are currently under renovation Hiperbaric 55 L unit is fabricated and is being shipped within the next week November/December: Installation and commissioning of the HPP unit https://foodscience.cals.cornell.edu/about-us/facilities/geneva-facilities/hpp-validation-lab January: Start for validation & shelf life studies and research
Thanks to HPP, opportunities for developing innovate dips and salads are countless but 30
Make sure that the formulation and processing conditions ensure your product s safety Consumers TRUST you! 31
Thank You!