What microbiological infections can occur if plants and herbs are not properly handled and stored?
Industrial treatment methods are employed for pasteurizing contaminated plants and herbs, all the while diligently preserving their intrinsic qualities.
If the products are not properly handled and stored, potential contamination by various micro-organisms such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, among others, can occur. This vulnerability increases the risk of developing serious infections such as severe gastrointestinal disorders.
To prevent these illnesses and guarantee food safety, it is imperative to rigorously observe good food hygiene practices throughout the plant and herb handling and storage chain.
What industrial pasteurization treatment can be used to process contaminated plants and herbs while preserving their intrinsic qualities?
Industrial pasteurization can be used to preserve the intrinsic qualities of products by heating food to a specific temperature to eliminate pathogenic micro-organisms.
Using saturated steam pasteurization for plants and herbs, adherence to pasteurization times and temperatures guarantees efficiency while minimizing damage to products.
Other processing methods, such as ultraviolet radiation pasteurization, heat sterilization, and pressure sterilization, can also be employed. However, these methods are less effective and may alter the nutritional properties and flavors of food products.
Therefore, it is crucial to carefully choose the most suitable method based on the processing goals.
