DE2921041A1 - HERMETICALLY SEALED PACKAGING AND METHOD OF PACKAGING A STERILIZED FOOD OR FOOD - Google Patents

Description

Henkel, Kern, Feiler & Hänzel ^ - **** entanwälte

Registered

before * ^e

European Patent Office

Möhlstrasse 37 D-8000 Munich 80

Tel .: 089 / 982085-87 Telex: 0529802 hnkl d Telegrams: ellipsoid

2 May 3, 1973

Or.F / rm

TOYO SEIKAN KAISHA, LIMITED
Tokyo / Japan

Hermetically sealed package and method for packaging a sterilized food or foodstuff

909.848 / 0803

2 * 21041

description

The invention relates to high-quality, hermetically packaged food or nutritional products that have been briefly sterilized at high temperature, particularly hermetically packaged food or nutritional products that have been briefly sterilized at a temperature of 115 ° to 15O ⁰ C and, if at all, at most have suffered minor losses in their valuable properties, e.g. taste, color, texture and the like.

Hermetically packaged foods or foods sold at room temperature are, for example, foods or foods packaged in cans or bottles, foods packaged in piston-shaped bags, and the like. There are various thermal sterilization processes for these foods or foods, depending on their pH value, their water activity and their thermal conductivity. In particular for food or foodstuffs with a pH value of over 5 »5, ie for non-acidic foodstuffs or foodstuffs with a water activity of over 0.94, statutory regulations require sterilization by heating the central part for 4 minutes of the packaging, ie the part that is heated slowly, to 120 ^° C. or by an equally effective or more strongly sterilizing method.

Heating for 4 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° C is sufficient to remove the spores of Clostridium botulinum strain type A. to be completely eliminated. These spores are the deadliest toxin and cause life or food health problems. The specified sterilization conditions correspond to a value of 3.1 when they apply to the sterilization number

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Fq can be converted. Consequently, the process described is at least as effective as a 4-minute heating at a temperature of 120 ° C, based on the Z value of Cl. botulinum, when 13 min to a temperature of 115 ° C, 40 to a temperature of 110 ⁰ C and heated for 130 min at a temperature of 105 ° C min.

The conditions described apply to the temperature conditions in the middle part of the packs. It is therefore necessary to determine the time it takes for the central part to reach the required temperature. Thus, the practical heating time depends on the package size and the like. It is generally 120 ° C for 25 to 30 min at a weakly acidic, in the piston-shaped bags packaged food or foods, or at 110 ° to 120 ⁰ C for 40 to 90 minutes at Dosenlebens- or food. This then achieves a shelf life at room temperature as hermetically packaged foodstuffs or foodstuffs. In the case of long-term heat treatment of the type described, however, a reduction in the quality of the foodstuffs or foodstuffs cannot be avoided. On the other hand, in the case of foodstuffs with pH values below 5.5 and a water activity below 0.94, the heat resistance of the microorganisms which cause their degradation is reduced. Thus, thermal sterilization can be achieved under less drastic conditions than those described. The sterilization number Fq will be explained in more detail later.

So far, when sterilizing foodstuffs with pH values in the weakly acidic range from 4.5 to 5.5 or in the acidic range below 4.5 the heating time is kept the same, but the temperature is lowered by one

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to achieve full sterilization. This is in spite of the fact that it was already known that the heat resistance of the food-degrading microorganisms is reduced in such cases. For example, when sterilizing canned fruit, the temperature was ^{lowered to 100 °} C. or below. In the case of canned bamboo shoots, attempts have been made to achieve complete sterilization by denaturing the bamboo shoots as such and by thermal sterilization after the pH value has been lowered to a suitable value. These foods or foods are packaged in large cans and their thermal conductivity is low. Treatment at a high temperature is impossible, so that it is heated ^{to a temperature of the order of about 100 ° C. for a long time.} Even if an attempt is made to shorten the heating time by lowering the pH value as far as possible, around 100 minutes are still required. So far, no attempt has been made to carry out the treatment for a short time at a high temperature. In a similar way, the pH value has already been set for beans, but in this case, too, no consideration was given to carrying out the sterilization for a short time at a high temperature. There are some cases of "udon" (Japanese noodle) where pH adjustment has been made. However, this served to aid pasteurization, without which sterilization can be inadequate. In these cases it was not the intention to carry out a high-temperature short-term sterilization in order to ensure complete sterilization.

These packaged foods usually undergo pasteurization with a treatment time of usually 40 to 100 min.Thus, they spoil easily if they are

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temperature. It is therefore to be expected that the pH value, which is lower than that of weakly acidic foods or foods, will have a growth-inhibiting effect on the microorganisms. Even so, the food must be stored in a refrigerated container as a precaution when it is distributed. The main reason for this is that the treatment is carried out at a temperature below 100 ^° C. at atmospheric pressure, with no special precautions being required for treatment under high pressure.

The thermal sterilization treatment described is accompanied by an extension of the heating time. So leave a deterioration in the nutritional value of food or foodstuffs and a deterioration in the taste of the Do not avoid color, vitamin content, texture and the like.

According to the invention, the disadvantages of the known hermetically packaged and thermally sterilized can now be described Avoid food or foods.

The invention was based on the object of providing high quality, hermetically packaged and marketable at room temperature To provide food or foodstuffs that are characterized by excellent nutritional value and taste as well as excellent Characterized by color and an excellent structure.

The invention was based on the knowledge that the task set by brief sterilization of one Food or foodstuffs with a low pH value at high temperature (reducing the heating time the food or food) can be solved.

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The invention thus hermetically sealed packs of food or foods packaged in heat resistant packaging materials and welded, were sterilized briefly at a temperature of 115 ° to 150 ⁰ C, a pH ¥ ert in the range from 4.0 to 5 , 5 and show a water activity of less than 0.94.

If necessary, the food or food containing, Hermetically sealed packaging also contains anti-acid agents contain.

The following explanations are intended to explain the invention in more detail.

As the heat-resistant packaging materials, in which foods according to the invention packed and welded, all packaging materials which are briefly withstand a thermal treatment at a temperature of 115 ° to 150 ⁰ C, may be used. Examples of such packaging materials are oven treatable bags, cans, bottles and the like. Of the packaging materials mentioned, pouches which can be treated in the oven are optimal, since they have a relatively small thickness after the food or foodstuff has been packaged. In this way, the temperature in the middle part reaches the required value within a short period of time. In the case of cans and bottles, either their height or diameter should preferably be less than about 100 mm for reasons of thermal conductivity. Sealing is typically done by heat sealing for oven treatable bags, double seam sealing for cans, and mechanical sealing with rubber, vinyl chloride, polyethylene and the like lined metal closures for bottles.

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It is essential that the hermetically packaged foodstuffs or foodstuffs according to the invention have a pH value in the range of 4.0 Ms 5.5 or that their water activity is below 0.93. When the pH is over 5.5 or the water activity is more than 0.94, it is necessary to thermally sterilize the microorganisms including Cl. botulinum, to be completely eliminated. In this way, as described, the foodstuffs or foodstuffs can be impaired, ie in such a case no more high-quality foodstuffs or foodstuffs are obtained. Furthermore, the necessary conditions for thermal sterilization are usually weakened or alleviated by lowering the pH value of the foodstuffs or foodstuffs.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Show in detail?

Fig. 1 is a graph showing the relationship of pH to the heating temperature / heating time cycle required for the complete elimination of Bacillus coagulans spores j

Fig. 2 is a graph showing the relationship between pH and D values showing the spore elimination effect reproduce by heating; and

Fig. 3 is a series of graphs showing the relationship between the tanning heating time of glycine / Glucose solutions of different pH values and the heating temperatures.

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Figure 1 shows the complete elimination of the spores of a typical food spoilage bacterium, namely Bacillus coagulans, in 1/15 m citric acid / phosphoric acid buffer at a concentration of 10 / ml at pH values of 4.5, 5.5 or 7.0 and heating temperatures in the range of 100 ° to 130 ⁰ C required time. When a food or nutritional product having a pH of 7.0 is contaminated with these bacteria, the graph shows the figure 1 that the food for complete sterilization requires 1,8min lasting thermal treatment at 120 ⁰ C. If the pH of the food is set to 4.5, complete sterilization by heating to a temperature of 120 ^° C. for 0.4 min, ie 25 s, is possible. Complete sterilization takes 1.8 minutes at 114 ° C and 0.1 minutes, ie 6 seconds, at 125 ° C.

As already mentioned, the higher the pH, the lower the or food the sterilization time at the same temperature. The influence of lowering the pH becomes particularly clear at pH values below 5.5. At pH values above 5.5, this effect is, as can be seen from FIG. 2, not significant.

The graph of Figure 2 shows the relationship between the pH value (the abscissa) and the D value (the ordinate), which has the effect of eliminating bacterial spores (Bacillus coagulans, concentration: 10 spores / ml) Indicating heating. The D value corresponds to that for reducing the microorganisms or spores to a concentration of 1/10 time required under constant conditions. The lower the D value, the greater the elimination effect. The graph in FIG. 2 shows that the described effect suddenly drops at pH values above 5.5.

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Another reason why, according to the invention, the food or foodstuffs are packaged at pH values below 5.5 is to be seen in the fact that the influence of heating on the quality of food or foodstuffs is sudden decreases when the pH is below 5.5.

The graphs of Figure 3 show the relationship between tanning behavior (as "permeability" indicated) of a 1/20 m glycine / glucose solution as a function of the pH value, the heating temperature and the heating time. Browning foods or foods by heating them probably based on the sugar / amino acid reaction. At the same temperature and the same heating time, the extent is the tanning at a pH value of 5.5 compared to a pH value of 6.2 or 7.0 is significantly lower. Same You can influence not only with the color, but also with Observe nutritionally utilizable components, e.g. vitamins, smell, taste and the like.

With the exception of foods or foods that have inherently low pH and that have a sour taste, Weakly or non-acidic foods or foods always get a sour taste if their pH value is lowered to below 4.0 by adding pH adjusting agents of the type described later. This is where the original one goes Lost taste of the food or foodstuff. On the other hand, when the pH of weakly or non-acidic foods is adjusted to above 4.0 but below 5.5, there are some that have no sour taste at all have (depending on the type of food) or have a very slightly sour taste, which can be achieved by adding of anti-acidulants quickly disappears (where then

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the original taste of the food or foodstuff is retained). So there is a lower limit to the pH value set of 4.0.

Foods with natural pH values in the range of 4.0 to 5.5 are foods or foods cooked with soy sauce, e.g. red mussel meat and the like, vegetables boiled in water, e.g. butter burdock, mushrooms, asparagus, spinach and the like, black beans boiled with soy sauce or sugar, fukujinzuke (Japanese pickles) and the like. The invention can be applied to foods or foods with pH values above 5.5, i.e. non-acidic foods or foods after adjusting the pH of the same to a value of 4.0 to 5.5 by adding pH adjusting agents during packaging of food or nutrition in packaging materials.

As there are numerous foods whose pH value is due to the very high buffering capacity (i.e. capacity to maintain the pH value to the original value) is difficult to adjust, it was believed that a lowering of the pH value inevitably leads to a sour taste, whereby the original taste of the food or food is affected. According to the invention, however, it has been shown that the pH is slightly acidic Food, taking into account the characteristic buffering capacity of each food, the level of treatment, the combination of food ingredients, seasoning techniques, choice of pH adjusters, and the like can be set to values below 5 »5 and that you can adjust the pH value of the food or foodstuffs do not give an astringent taste, and if necessary, the normal taste and smell can be maintained by adding anti-acidic agents.

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To lower the pH of food or foodstuffs suitable substances are preferably harmless organic acids, e.g. vinegar, amber, milk, apple, Tartaric, citric, pumaric or ascorbic acid, their acidic salts, vinegar and the like. In certain cases other pH adjusters such as fluconodeltalactone can also be used.

Anti-acidulants that can be used are preferably natural or artificial sweeteners of any kind. Examples of these are sorbitol, glucose, fructose, xylose, mannose, mannitol, cane sugar, lactose, raffinose, galactose, rhamnose, malt sugar, Benzoic acid sulfimide, the sodium salt of benzoic acid sulfimide, sodium glycol / lysine, xylitol, sorbose, reducing sugars, Honey, corn syrup and the like.

The amount of additive to lower the pH below 5.5 pH adjusters depend on the buffering capacity of the food or foodstuff. At the same time, the various pH adjusters can be used together. It is therefore difficult to obtain an accurate numerical Enter the value for the quantity. When anti-acidulants are added, their amount is basically the same as the amount of pH adjusters used. However, the intensity of the sour taste is different, i.e. some foods or foods inevitably have a sour taste, depending on the depth of taste or the added ones Depends on spices. Thus, the additive and its amount will depend on the specific food or food certainly.

The most suitable method for adjusting the pH value is chosen according to the state in which the vital or

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Food, i.e. whether it is a pure liquid food or food, a solid / liquid food or a mixture of foods or pure solid foods or foodstuffs, so that the pH value is the same everywhere prevails. In the case of pure liquid food or foodstuffs, this is relatively easy by simply referring to the Buffer capacity of the food or food in question, dependent on the adjustment of the pH value to the desired one Value required amount is added, whereupon the mixture is homogenized using a mixer or homogenizer will. For those foods that contain small solids mixed into a liquid, the pH value adjustment must be made be carried out separately for the liquid and solid components. The pH adjustment of the solids can be done by Immerse the same in a solution of the required pH value (it can be a liquid with a pre-set pH value can be used), by repeated vacuum degassing after immersion, or by immersion and boiling. In particular, the vacuum degassing can be carried out at room temperature. There is no deterioration in this To observe the quality of the food or foodstuff, with the pH value evenly within a short period of time Interior is set. The liquid and the solids with their separately set pH values are mixed, packed, sealed in packaging materials and thermally sterilized. The independent adjustment of the pH the solids and the liquid is essential, which is what the following example of tuna and dressing canned shows. This food is obtained by packing and sealing both steamed and specialty foods Containing size cut tuna and vegetables Dressings. The packed and sealed tuna with

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the dressing is sterilized at a temperature of 117 ^° C. for 90 minutes. The pH of the product is determined to be 4.8 by customary measuring methods. In this conventional measuring method, the entire contents of the can is mixed and a certain amount of sample is taken from the mixture. Despite this pH value, the same sterilization conditions as for non-acidic foods must be selected, since the pH value of the fish meat is around the neutral range and only the dressing has a pH value in the range from 3.0 to 3.2 during the sterilization treatment . Thus, it is difficult to carry out the complete sterilization at a low temperature. Thus, in spite of the low average pH, for food of this kind, because of the erogenous state, the thermal sterilization must be carried out under the same conditions as the thermal sterilization for weakly acidic foods. In order to be able to carry out the method according to the invention with such foods or foods, a separate pH adjustment must be made for the solids and the liquid.

The method described can be used for pure solid foods or foods. In addition, you can in pasty foodstuffs that are produced by mixing the raw materials with the help of a schnitzel mill or of a kneader and then molding, the pH adjusters and anti-acid agents were uniformly prepared mixed in during the mixing process.

Food or foods that inherently have pH levels below 5.5 can of course be thermally sterilized as they are.

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"Water activity" means the A ^ value, the results from the following equation:

\ - ^p / ^p o

In the equation:

Pq is the equilibrium vapor pressure of pure water constant temperature and

P is the equilibrium vapor pressure of water in the system (food) at the same temperature.

If it is only pure water (water content: 100%), A ^ = 1, in the case of anhydrides, A ^ = O. The water activity, similar to the pH value, influences the growth of microorganisms. As water activity decreases, the number of types of microorganisms that can grow is limited. Examples of foods with a water activity below 0.94 include sweet chestnuts cooked with sugar, noritsukudani (seaweed cooked with sugar and soy sauce), fukujinzuke (Japanese pickles), pieces of blue fish cooked with sugar and soy sauce, teidenpu (cooked with salt and sugar and then powdered red snapper), oyster sauce, cooked agarwood, akamiso (red soybean paste), cooked lima beans, and the like.

According to the invention, it is of essential importance to carry out the thermal sterilization treatment of foodstuffs or foodstuffs with pH values in the range from 4.0 to 5.5 or with a water activity (cf. the preceding explanations) below 0.94 briefly at a temperature of 115 ° to 150 ⁰ C to carry out. If the temperature is below 115 ° C, the heating time will be long, resulting in a deterioration in quality

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who carries food or food. On the other hand, the heating temperature is above 15O ⁰ C, although the heating time shortened, but it is a nuisance as a result of overheating, for example a color change, and the like to determine. The influence of temperature on the quality of consumption is shown by the results of a relevant experiment contained in Table I below.

Table I.

Unadjusted pH value

(6.0)

Sterilization percentage conditions Impermeability (F ₀ = 5) *

hired] min 43.0 ? H value (4.9) - 49 43.0 Sterilization percentage
conditions permeable
(F ₀ = 0.17) speed * - 29 43.5 - 16 44.2 100 ° C - 9.6 45.0 105 ° - 5.6 45.5 110 - 3.2 46.2 115 - 1.9 46.8 120 - 1.2 47.1 125 - 0.9 47.2 130 - 0.7 45.1 135 - 0.6 43.5 140 - 0.5 41.5 145 - 0.4 150 155 160

105 ° C - 41 min

43.2

* The transmittance is measured using a commercially available spectrophotometer with a wavelength of 430 nm. The higher the permeability, the lower the degree of browning. The permeability of the non-heated Product is 47.2Ji.

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To carry out the experiment, 180 g of consomme (soup) are packed in a boil-proof bag and sealed. The pH of the soup is 6.0. As a rule, it is advisable to sterilize the soup with a standard sterilization value F _Q of 5. For this purpose it is necessary to heat the soup to a temperature of 105 ^{° C. for 41 minutes.} If the pH of the soup is reduced to 4.9 using citric acid, the same degree of sterilization is achieved with a sterilization value Fq of 0.17. So far, the thermal treatment of food or food products, for example, was the ointment described, performed with pH adjusted during 49 min at 100 ⁰ C. Table I shows the same level to achieve sterilization at a temperature in the range of 105 ° to 160 ⁰ C and the time required permeability after treatment. It can be seen from Table I that the heating time is extremely shortened by thermal treatment at extremely high temperature in the case of actual foods. The "Permeability" in Table I shows the degree of browning after treatment. From Table I it can be seen that at temperatures below 110 ^° C. no noticeable reduction in the heating time can be achieved and that at the same time there is no great difference in quality from the product treated according to the known processes. Thus, the known method should be avoided. Temperatures above 150 ^° C. are not preferred, since the quality after the treatment is lower than in the known method, and this even in the case of liquid foodstuffs or foodstuffs which have good thermal conductivity.

The sterilization _{value F Q} corresponds to the time in minutes it takes to completely eliminate microorganisms or their

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Spores at a temperature of 121 ⁰ C is required. In FIG. 1, the F _Q value of the spore of Bacillus coagulans in a buffer at a pH of 7.0 is 1.4. As the pH value decreases, the sterilization value is significantly lower. This is because the F _Q value shows the heat resistance of microorganisms exposed to sterilization or their spores and is a measure of the complete sterilization of foodstuffs in the case of foodstuffs or foodstuffs contaminated with these microorganisms or their spores packaged food or foodstuffs have a certain thickness. In the event that they are heated from the outside, the thermal conductivity is different in different places of the food or food. In the example described, only the part near the surface is sterilized by heating for 1.4 min at a temperature of 121 ^° C., the inner part not being sterilized after the heating has ended. In order to ensure uniform sterilization, the heating must be carried out in such a way that the part with the lowest thermal conductivity receives a sterilization value F _Q of 1.4. Consequently, the more difficult it is to conduct heat in the food or foodstuffs, the longer it must be heated. Furthermore, the slowest heatable point is not treated at the temperature applied from the start of the heating. However, since the temperature is gradually increased over time to the time used for treatment, a certain sterilization effect can be determined with increasing temperature. Thus, heating must be carried out until the integrated value of L of the equation:

L = log " ¹ * ϊ =

is equivalent to. In the equation:

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L the sterilization efficiency;

^{T is the temperature in 0} F and increasing over a small range of the heating time

Z the heat resistance of the microorganisms or their spores.

In the graphs of the time / temperature-dependent spore elimination shown in FIG. 1, the temperature at which the straight lines cross a logarithmic period corresponds to the F ₀ value.

The heating time is defined according to the invention as that time which is sealed in the packaging materials Food or food are kept in the heating medium at a required temperature. According to the invention Usable heating devices are so-called continuously working retorts or batch-wise working high-temperature and pressure sterilizers. The heating medium used in the devices can consist of saturated steam, steam / air mixtures, hot water and microwaves, IR rays and the like exist. In some cases it may vary depending on the type of Heat-resistant container the thermal treatment also in addition to the pressure of saturated steam when applied Temperature under weak air pressure. The heating and cooling are expedient as quickly as possible carried out. Once the required heating time has ended, the packs are usually immersed chilled in cold water. In this way, the quality of the packaged food or foodstuffs can be reduced as a result of gradual cooling.

The heating time depends on the F _Q value of the food or food, the coefficient of thermal conductivity,

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the Erhlteimgeteiiperatiar and the like afe _{8 o} To ensure dee "rfindutsgegoaSB desired success" d _e h. To prevent a loss of quality of the food or foodstuffs by weakening the heating history, it is advisable to keep this as short as possible in spite of complete sterilization, ie within a range of up to 20 minutes, preferably up to 15 minutes.

As the later following example show © 3 and 4, may be obtained by simultaneous use of a short-term, that is, about k and 10 minutes continuous preheating to a temperature in the range of about 80 ° to 100 ⁰ C, the heating time to a temperature in the range of 115 ° Significantly shorten to 150 ⁰ C and thereby effectively reduce a loss of quality of the treated food and foodstuffs.

As described, according to the invention it becomes possible within to carry out a thermal sterilization treatment for a short time. In this way you can achieve a high level of productivity and at the same time receives food or foodstuffs that are hermetically packaged and marketable at room temperature, which are characterized by excellent quality in terms of taste, smell, color, transparency, structure (bite) and the like distinguish.

The following examples are intended to illustrate the invention in more detail.

example 1

By boiling 6 1 bouillon, 600 g coarsely chopped beef, 150 g carrots, 240 g onions, 60 g celery,

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60 g leek, 6 parsley leaves, 6 eggs and 9 g salt are prepared 5.1; ~ beef consomme (sample 1). Then the soup or consonoons with spores of the putrefactive bacterium Cl. sporogenic NCA-PA-3679 inoculated such that the spore concentration 1Cr spores / 1 al consumption.

The pH of the soup is 6.0. That soup, the one has undergone thermal treatment until a sterilization value Fq of 5 has been reached, i.e. 41 min at one temperature heated at 105 C is referred to as sample 2.

Sample 3 is obtained by adding 1 ml 1/1 Om citric acid solution per 100 ml of consumption to adjust the pH value to 5.0. It has been shown that at a sterilization value Fq of 0.17 of the pH adjusted Consumption or soup the same complete sterilization is achieved as with the pH value not adjusted Soup.

With respect to its pH adjusted broth samples which were sterilized 49 min at a temperature of 100 ⁰ C, 5.6 min at a temperature of 120 ⁰ C and 1.2 min at a temperature of 135 ° C, are used as samples 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

The consumption samples obtained are placed in commercially available cooking bags (made of polyester and polypropylene laminated with aluminum foil with a size of 130 χ 170 mm after packaging, 10 mm of the packaged contents 120 g) packed and sealed and then using a commercially available high-temperature / short-term sterilizer sterilized under various heating conditions. Here you get samples for storage and try to rot. Samples 1 and 3 are not thermally treated. The same,

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IS

however, samples not inoculated with the spores are thermally treated under the same conditions. Furthermore, samples 1 to 3 not subjected to any thermal treatment.

The quality assessment of the various samples is carried out using 15 propands according to a 10-stage system, with the sample 2 is taken as a standard sample. The sample that is best in comparison receives 5 points, and the one in comparison receives -5 points worst sample. The results are shown in Table II below. As described, adjusting is obtained the pH value to 5.0 a qualitatively excellent beef consomme.

The samples inoculated with the spores are kept in stored in an air-conditioned room at a temperature of 37 ° C, with the exception of samples 1 and 3, none of them occurred of the samples to putrefaction.

Table II

Sample average observations no. Points

unheated product

Comparative product

non-purchased product

Comparative product

4.2

4.0

2.3

Smell of beef, strong celery and onion smell

The smell of beef is missing, the smell of vegetables has disappeared

no sour odor as a result of the pH adjustment, the beef odor and vegetable odor available

The beef odor is reduced, a strong vegetable odor is available. The product looks like it has been steamed

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Table II continued

Invention- The beef smell is

according to the Pro- that

product 5 3.2 The vegetable odor is weak

Invention- The beef smell is

According to pro available, the product is

duct 6 3.8 appetizing.

Example 2

By mixing 60 g of cow beans and 1 kg of rice, which is used to adjust the pH was immersed in a solution of pH 3.0 with 0.16% fumaric acid and 0.15% cane sugar, Dipping the mixture in the liquid in which the beans were cooked for coloring, and finally Steaming is made by Sekihan. The pH of the obtained Sekihans is 5.2. In each case 180 g of the received Sekihans are in commercially available nylon and polypropylene cooking bags with a size of 130 χ 170 mm and a thickness according to the Packaging of 15 mm packed and sealed and finally thermally sterilized according to Example 1.

The sweet rice used was contaminated with 10 spores / g of Bacillus coagulans spores. _{A sterilization value F Q} of 1.5 must be achieved in order to completely eliminate the relevant spores. Thus, the pH value not adjusted was Sekihan (pH 6.2) 25 thermally sterilized at a temperature of 110 ⁰ C min respect. To ensure the same sterilization effect in the Sekihan with the adjusted to 5.2 pH, a 55-minute heating at a temperature of 100 ⁰ C is necessary. Complete sterilization can also be achieved in a short time, namely in 15 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° C. or in 6

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- κ-

2121041

min "at a temperature of 135 C. Each 50 of the in the The described way thermally treated bags are for 2 months in an air-conditioned room at © iner temperature stored at 37 ° C, there is no putrefaction in any of the bags ascertain.

Table 111

Conditions at
the thermal
sterilization pH adjustment away-
Value* Putrefaction ** Comparison
example no Ofensteri
lization not-turned
represents (pH-
Value 6.2) 0.70 there Comparative
example 25 min at 120 ^° C not-turned
represents (pH-
Value 6.2) 0.96 no Comparative
example 55 min at 100 ^° C set
(pH value 5.2) 0.87 no invention
according to 15 min at 120 ^° C set
(pH value 5.2) 0.82 no invention
according to 6 min at 135 ° C set
(pH value 5.2) 0.75 no

The measurement was carried out with the aid of a commercially available color tester and a white standard card (L = 92.12; a -0.17ϊ b -4.32). The values represent average values of η = 10.

After 2 months of storage at a temperature of 37 ° C in an air-conditioned room.

Table III shows the color difference (a / b value) on the surface of the packaged Sekihans (water activity of 0.98) under the specified conditions. The higher the a / b value, the deeper the dark red color. From the results Table III shows that the surface color of the

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Sekihans packed according to the invention is less deep than the surface color of the Sekihans packaged without pH adjustment or treated for a long time at 100 ° C. A sour one The products packaged according to the invention do not have any taste, and their texture when biting is good.

Example 5

Carrots with a water activity of 0.99 and onions with a water activity of 0.99 are cut into 1 cm thick slices, immersed raw in a vacuum tank in a 0.5% malic acid solution with Λ% sodium chloride, then under vacuum from atmospheric pressure to about 1 bar degassed, whereupon the dipping and degassing are repeated until the pH inside the cells has reached a value of 4.9. For the carrots this takes 6 minutes for 12 repetitions, for the onions it takes 4.9 min for 8 repetitions.After the vacuum treatment has ended, the vegetables are removed from the dipping solution, washed lightly with water and examined for their pH value.

55 g of the carrots adjusted in the manner described with regard to their pH value and 55 g of a 1/10 m aqueous solution of sodium citrate pH 4.96 with 0.2 # malt sugar (Anti-acidulants) are used in commercial baby food cans an inner diameter of 52.3 mm and a height of 45.5 mm are packed and sealed.

For comparison purposes, carrots that are not pH adjusted are similarly mixed with water packed and sealed.

In each case 10 spores of Bacillus subtilis are added per ml (F _Q = 5.5 at a pH of 6.0).

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At the pH value of 4.96, the heat resistance of the spores is reduced, the sterilization value F _Q is 3.

The cans filled in the manner described are with With the aid of the oven sterilizer used in Example 1 under the various conditions given in Table IV, thermally sterilized. The preheating to a temperature of 90 ° C. takes 5 minutes, and in the case of preheating, the heating time can be reduced shorten to high temperature.

In each case 50 of the cans treated under the different heating conditions are stored for 2 months at a temperature of 37 ^° C., decay is not found here.

Table IV

Heating conditions

pH adjustment

Value of
Robustness *

colour

Comparative example

according to the invention

according to the invention

according to the invention

according to the invention

Comparison '·
example

38 min at 100 ^° C

12 min at 1200C

5 min at 135 ° C

9 min to 120 ⁰ C under preheating

3 min to 135 ° C with preheating

18 min at 1200C

adjusted (pH 4.9) 62.1

adjusted (pH 4.9) 65.8

adjusted (pH 4.9) 73.2

adjusted (pH 4.9) 68.4

adjusted (pH 4.9) 76.2

not-discontinued
(pH 6.6) 45.1

turned faintly pale

Well

Well

excellent

excellent

turned pale

* The measurement was made using a commercially available Device for measuring the core of a ram of 1.5 mm Θ. The values are average values of η = 10.

909848/0883

® Taftell © If shows the GsfUg®, ie «the hardness% and the color isater d®is. Carrots treated under different conditions. Bas Gsfig © Wii ³ I "tarefe obtained using the commercially available l © 3ges ° AETS © raittelten numbers rated" J · higher values

«Test © kerniger are the carrots, from the results Table IV shows that the softening of the carrots

the thermal sterilization was prevented according to the invention and that the color of the carrots was well preserved Is.

Example 4

In disks of 1 cm in thickness cut felts 10 min at a temperature of 100 ⁰ C in a by mixing 1 / 1Om-citric acid solution and water in a weight ratio of 8: cooked produced 12 solution to yield a commercially viable product a water activity of 1 .00 and a pH of 4.9. The modified felts are packaged and sealed and sterilized under the conditions specified in Example 3. The mushrooms, which have not been adjusted in terms of their pH, are thermally sterilized ^{for 18 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° C. for comparison purposes.} The quality assessment of the products obtained is mainly based on their structure. The evaluation basis corresponds to the evaluation basis of Example 1. The results are shown in Table V below. They show that the products treated according to the invention have a better structure than the comparison product. If 50 cans are stored for one month at a temperature of 37 ^° C., no putrefaction can be observed.

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Tabcpl l® ¥

Evaluation In PtsÄt @ a

example

invention 12 min at 120 ^c according to

4.9)

adjusted (pH
4 "9)

according to the invention

inventive

inventive

Comparative example

Set at 135 ° C for 5 min

4.9)

Set at 120 ° C for 9 min

under Yorerwär- 4 ₅ 9)

men

3 min at 135 ⁰ C set

under forewarming 4.9 yrs

nlclat-elnge-

18 min at 120 ⁰ C (pH 6.6)

Z ₃ G

4.3

E xample ,

200 g mixture of ground beef and pork, 50 g onions with 4 ml previously added 1/10 m citric acid solution and 20 g of fresh breadcrumbs are mixed together, whereupon 14 mm thick hamburger steaks are made from the mixture obtained be prepared. These are fried in a frying pan until both sides have turned brown. The pH of the hamburger steaks obtained is 4.8.

One of 200 g (beef) soup meat, 100 g onions, 30 g carrots, 4 teaspoons of flour, 2 cups of tomato juice, 5 cups Soup and 2 teaspoons of ketchup-made sauce with a pH of 4.8 will also have a pH of 4.8 fried hamburger steaks are added and the whole is simmered for 10 minutes.

909848 / 08S3

2S21Q4

The preserved hamburger steaks with the one described in the Well-prepared sauces show a pH of 4.80 and a water activity of 0.96.

A hamburger steak and about 80 g or 30 g of sauce each packed and welded in the cooking bags used in Example 1, whereupon they with the help of the one used in Example 1 Sterilizer are subjected to a thermal sterilization treatment.

The Hamburg steaks that have not been adjusted with regard to their pH value (pH value: 6.1) must be ^{sterilized for 20 minutes at a temperature of 120 °} C. (corresponding to a »sterilization _{value F 0} of 3» 1). The hamburger steaks with "in · * pH 4.8 require a Sterilieationswert F _Q of 0.015, ie it reaches a fully · · sterilization in 42 minutes at 100 ⁰ C, in 10 min at 120 ° C and in 5 min b »i 135 ⁰ C.

Using the Hamburg steak subjected to a thermal treatment at 100 ^° C. for 42 minutes as a standard, the overall quality including the taste, texture and the like is evaluated according to the point system used in Example 1. The results can be found in Table VI below. The products packaged according to the invention, which have been thermally sterilized for a short time at high temperature, are of excellent quality.

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2S2104

Eligibility conditions

average·

Evaluation in points

Comparative example

according to the invention

according to the invention

42 minutes at 10O ⁰ C

10 min at

120 ° C

5 min at 135 ^° C

adjusted (pH 4.8)

adjusted (pH 4.8)

adjusted (pH 4.8}

1.8

2.7

■ 2

Various hamburger steaks are inoculated with 10 Clostridium sporogenes NCA-PA 3679 spores per g. Then packs are sterilized under the specified conditions and ^{stored at a temperature of 37 °} C. for 2 months. A putrefaction is not detectable here.

Example 6

1 kg of crushed frozen cod of commercial class A, 300 g of potato starch and 30 g of table salt are mixed together kneaded, whereupon 28 g of gluconodeltalactone, 6 g of citric acid and 50 g of cane sugar (anti-acidifier) are added. Then the whole thing is done for 10 minutes using a commercially available Mixing mixer mixed. The resulting mixture is steamed and gelled in a steam pot. The pH of the gel obtained changes when the above is carried out Measures from 6.95 to 5.30, but no sour taste can be detected. The water activity of the gel is 0.9 * 65.

The gel obtained is put into boiling bags up to a thickness of 14 mm packed and vacuum sealed. That regarding his

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3Z

Gel that has not been adjusted to a pH value requires a 20-minute sterilization treatment at 120 ^° C. (corresponding to a sterilization of 4 minutes at 120 ^° C., ie F _Q = 3.1), but if the pH value is adjusted to 5.30 , the sterilization value Fq is 1.1. Complete sterilization can then be achieved in 11 minutes at 120 ° C or in 5.6 minutes at 135 ° C.

The following Table VII shows the whiteness (L value) of the obtained and pasty products treated under various conditions. The results in Table VII show that the products treated according to the invention for a short time at high temperature have a comparative effect to the non-treated product have a high degree of whiteness.

Table VII

Heating conditions

pH adjustment

Degree of whiteness (L value) *

Comparative example

Comparative example

according to the invention

according to the invention

Comparative example

18 min at 120 ^° C

44 min at 100 ^° C

11 min at 120 ^° C

5.6 min at 135 ^° C

without oven treatment

not adjusted (pH 6.95) 62.5 adjusted

(pH 5.30) 70.3

(pH 5.30) 75.1

set

(pH 5.30) 78.4

unadjusted (pH 6.95) 84.4

* The measurement was carried out with the aid of a commercially available paint pouring device and a standard white card with an L-value of 92.12.

! Driving kneading, in the mass per g of 10 · "spores of Clostridium sporogenes HCA-PA3679 mixed in, whereupon each

909848/0883

50 PselOM-gea eggs with ö © a Sp © x ° oa

• feel file ^{8 of} the table YII

mixed sterilized ,, the stei ^ IlislQ ^ tua wssr-paels stosen. Products are daraa 2 Monat® lassg Ia feel © iaer Teapsratius ⁵ v a Isliaatl lusted room @ a 37 ° C gölagortj, sit except the "nbetiafideiten P ^ od-plsts Is determine osäocii telae rot.

Speckled White® Beans That Power Over. After they have been soaked in water, the WeicJawerclen is cooked until the cooking liquid is discarded. »Then 2 cups of cane sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of table salt per cup of beans are added to the soft beans, after which the whole is heated. After the sugar has melted, the mixture is boiled again over low heat for 30 minutes.

The speckled white beans cooked in the above manner have a water activity of 0.37 and one pH 6.86. 170 g of beans are now packed in a boiling bag and sealed under a vacuum of 390 mbar. This gives packs with a thickness of 13 mm.

50 of the packages obtained are stored without any thermal sterilization wbchen 2 hours in a conditioned room at a temperature of 37 ⁰ C. All the packs showed a bombage, the beans packed in the packs had rotten.

In a corresponding manner, 50 packs containing 25 min at 100 ⁰ C, 7 minutes at 120 ⁰ C and 4 min at 135 ° C thermally steric

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292104

llciesr-t woruea warsa, stored for 2 Sonata at a temperature of 37®C "Hierbsi is no rot fixed zns share,

Β £ θ Quality evaluation of the four types of packaged speckled white beans is carried out using the ^{material thermally treated for 25 min at a temperature of 100 0} C as a standard corresponding to the evaluation of Example 1 β The results can be found in the following Table VIII Table VIII shows that high-quality products can also be produced from foods with low water activity if the thermal treatment according to the invention is carried out for a short time at high temperature.

Table VIII

Heating conditions

average rating in points

Comparative example Comparative example according to the invention

no oven treatment for 25 minutes at 100 ° C for 7 min at 120 ⁰ C for 4 minutes at 135 ° C

3.0 0

2.1 2.7

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Claims (9)

Claims (1.j Hermetically sealed package with a container \ / a heat-resistant packaging material and a in the relevant container packaged food or nutritional product, which is momentarily sterilized at a temperature of 115 ° to 15O ⁰ C, characterized in that the food or nutritional selectively has a pH value of 4.0 to 5.5 or Contains liquid with a water activity of less than 0.94. 2. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the food or food in the original preparation has a pH above 5.5 and contains a pH adjuster incorporated therein. 3. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the food or food in the original preparation has a pH above 5.5 and contains a pH adjuster and an anti-acid agent incorporated therein. 4. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the food or food contains an anti-acidic agent. 5. A method of packaging a sterilized foodstuff in a container made from a heat-resistant one Packaging material, characterized in that the food or foodstuff to be packaged is a pH adjusters to lower its pH value to 5.5 and below added, the modified food or Accommodates food in the container and produces this 909848/0883 ORIGINAL INSPECTED metically sealed and finally the food or food by heating to a preselected temperature for a shorter time than is necessary for the same food or food is required to be sterilized at its original pH. 6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that
an anti-acidic agent is added to the food or foodstuff before it is placed in the container. 7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that
one at e
is working. one at a preselected temperature of 115 ° to 150 ° C 8. Packaged food or foodstuffs, packaged and
sterilized according to claim 5. 9 09848/0883