Pathogens vs. Non-Pathogens: Everything you need to know about bacteria in your products
Food Safety: A Major Concern for the Agri-Food, Cosmetics, and Nutraceutical Industries. Dry ingredients such as herbs, spices, dried fruits, seeds, and powders are particularly vulnerable to microbiological contamination.
Rising contamination rates in recent years
Salmonella
– Cases in 2023: 11,800 cases of salmonellosis were reported in France, out of a total of 77,486 cases in the European Union, marking a 16.9% increase compared to 2022.
– Product Recalls: In France, nearly 230 food product recalls were issued in 2023 due to Salmonella contamination, a figure similar to 2024.
Listeria monocytogenes
– Cases in 2023: 538 cases of listeriosis were recorded in France, out of 2,952 cases in the European Union, representing a 5.8% increase compared to 2022.
– Product Recalls: 720 recalls related to Listeria were reported in France in 2024, up from 670 in 2023.
Escherichia coli
– Cases in 2023: 342 cases of infections caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) were reported in France, out of 10,217 cases in the European Union, showing a 30% increase from 2022.
To tackle these challenges, Steripure offers innovative steam pasteurization solutions, ensuring safety while preserving the organoleptic qualities of products.
What is a pathogenic bacterium?
Pathogenic bacteria are microorganisms capable of causing potentially fatal diseases, including:
- Salmonella: Responsible for severe food poisoning.
- Pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli): Certain strains can cause intestinal infections.
- Listeria monocytogenes: Particularly dangerous for immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women.
Non-pathogenic bacteria: a balance to maintain
Not all bacteria are harmful! Some are naturally present in products and do not pose health risks, including:
- Aerobic microorganisms at 30°C
- Total coliforms at 30°C
- Yeasts
- Molds
- Enterobacteria at 37°C
However, strict regulatory thresholds must be respected, as excessive levels of non-pathogenic bacteria can impact quality, stability, and shelf life of raw materials.
Why choose Steripure for your product safety?
To ensure food safety, Steripure provides steam pasteurization, an effective sterilization method specifically designed for dry ingredients. This process significantly reduces microbial load and eliminates pathogenic bacteria without altering the sensory and nutritional properties of the products.
- Static Process: Ideal for fragile or whole products like nuts, pistachios, almonds, and cinnamon. This method ensures a rapid and significant microbial reduction while preserving the product’s integrity.
- Rotary Process: Designed for seeds and powders such as sesame, flax, pink berries, chia, and turmeric. This system ensures perfectly uniform treatment for optimal safety.
Saturated steam, known as “perfect steam”, is neither wet nor dry, with a temperature adjustable between 85°C and 120°C, depending on contamination levels and product type. This process maintains moisture content and water activity (AW), ensuring product stability.
Steripure’s equipment allows treatment of quantities ranging from a few kilograms to several tons per day. You can even schedule a test run at our facility!