Effects of Inoculum Level and Pressure Pulse on the Inactivation of Clostridium sporogenes Spores by Pressure-Assisted Thermal Processing

The effects of initial concentration and pulsed pressurization on the inactivation of Clostridium sporogenes spores suspended in deionized water were determined during thermal processing $(TP;\;105^{\circ}C,\;0.1MPa)$ and pressure-assisted thermal processing $(PATP;\;105^{\circ}C\;and\;700MPa)$ treatments for 40 min and 5min holding times, respectively. Different inoculum levels $(10^4,\;10^6\;and\;10^8CFU/ml)$ of C. sporogenes spores suspended in deionized water were treated at $105^{\circ}C$ under 700MPa with single, double, and triple pulses. Thermally treated samples served as control. No statistical significances (p>0.05) were observed among all different inoculum levels during the thermal treatment, whereas the inactivation rates $(k_1\;and\;k_2)$ were decreased with increasing the initial concentrations of C. sporogenes spores during the PATP treatments. Double- and triple-pulsed pressurization reduced more effectively the number of C. sporogenes spores than single-pulse pressurization. The study shows that the spore clumps formed during the PATP may lead to an increase in pressure-thermal resistance, and multiple-pulsed pressurization can be more effective in inactivating bacterial spores. The results provide an interesting insight on the spore inactivation mechanisms with regard to inoculum level and pulsed pressurization.