An Industry Perspective: Alicyclobacillus, the Hedgehog, and the Fox

International Citrus and Beverage Conference 2010

Sean Leighton

The Coca-Cola Company

The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.

Archilochus (7th-century b.c.e.)

Alicyclobacillus sp. (“TAB”, “ATB”, etc.)

• Gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-forming bacteria (destain easily)

• “Thermoacidophilic” characteristics• Growth occurs under aerobic and facultative

conditions at 45⁰C (35-65⁰C) and pH 3.0 (2.0-6.0)• No spore production under anaerobic conditions• Specific growth conditions are species and strain

specific• Non-pathogenic

Tales from the TAB

Tales from the TAB – Part 1

Tales from the TAB – Part 2

Tales from the TAB – Part 3

Tales from the TAB – Part 3, cont.

Species Source pH Range (°C) Guiacol?A. acidocaldarius Acid 2.0-6.0 45-70 No

A. acidiphilus Acidic beverages 2.5-5.5 20-55 No

A.acidoterrestris Apple juice 2.5-5.5 20-55 Yes, some strains

A.cycloheptanicus Soil 2.5-5.5 42-53 No

A.herbarius Herbal Tea 3.5-6.0 35-65 No

A.pomorum Fruit Juice 3.0-6.0 30-60 No

A.sendaiensis Soil 2.5-6.5 40-65 No

A.vulcanalis Geothermal pool 2.0-6.0 35-65 No

Tales from the TAB – Part 4Strain D (minutes) Z (⁰C) MatrixA.acidoterrestris D85°C 56; D90°C 23; D95°C

2.87.7 Apple Juice

A.acidoterrestris D85°C 57; D90°C 16; D95°C2.4

7.2 Grape Juice

A.acidoterrestris D88°C 11; D91°C 3.8; D95°C1.0

7.2 Juice

A.acidoterrestris D95°C 2.2-3.3 6.4-7.5 Orange Juice DrinkA.acidoterrestris D91°C 31.3; D97°C 7.9 10.0 Malic Acid (0.45), pH

3.1A.acidoterrestris D88°C 81.2; D100°C 0.8 5.9 MA pH 3.4A.acidoterrestris D91°C 54.3; D97°C 8.8 7.7 MA pH 3.7A.acidoterrestris D91°C 46.1; D97°C 8.2 8.5 Citric Acid pH 3.1A.acidoterrestris D91°C 57.9; D97°C 10.8 8.2 Citric Acid pH 3.7A.acidoterrestris D91°C 49.1; D97°C 8.4 7.9 Tartaric Acid pH 3.1

Pontius, A. J., J. E. Rushing, and P. M. Foegeding. 1998. Heat resistance of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores as affected by various pH values and organic acids. J. Food Protection 61:41-46.

Intervention Strategy(s)

Intervention strategies

Processors of 100% juices often choose to rely on thermal treatments as the only hurdle for the production of a high quality finished product

Intervention strategies

Processors of 100% juices often choose to rely on the thermal process as the only hurdle for the production of a high quality finished product

Intervention strategies

1. Good Agricultural Practices. Organisms do not spontaneously generate in the orange juice.

Intervention strategies

1. Good Agricultural Practices. The organism does not spontaneously generate in the orange juice.

2. Good manufacturing processes – crush/juice facilities. Environmental samples (n=431, 5 packaging plants) have revealed TAB in the drains only; recycled condensate water.

Intervention strategies

1. Good Agricultural Practices. The organism does not spontaneously generate in the orange juice.

2. Good manufacturing processes – crush/juice facilities. Environmental samples (n=431, 5 packaging plants) have revealed TAB in the drains only; recycled condensate water.

3. Product formulation. “Preservatives”, pH, package, storage temperature (frozen?).

Intervention strategies

1. Good Agricultural Practices. The organism does not spontaneously generate in the orange juice.

2. Good manufacturing processes – crush/juice facilities. Environmental samples (n=431, 5 packaging plants) have revealed TAB in the drains only; recycled condensate water.

3. Product formulation. “Preservatives”, pH, package, storage temperature (frozen?).

4. Thermal Process. Even a 0.1 log reduction, reduces.

Tales from the TAB – Part 4, revisitedStrain D (minutes) Z (⁰C) MatrixA.acidoterrestris D85°C 56; D90°C 23; D95°C

2.87.7 Apple Juice

A.acidoterrestris D85°C 57; D90°C 16; D95°C2.4

7.2 Grape Juice

A.acidoterrestris D88°C 11; D91°C 3.8; D95°C1.0

7.2 Juice

A.acidoterrestris D95°C 2.2-3.3 6.4-7.5 Orange Juice DrinkA.acidoterrestris D91°C 31.3; D97°C 7.9 10.0 Malic Acid (0.45), pH

3.1A.acidoterrestris D88°C 81.2; D100°C 0.8 5.9 MA pH 3.4A.acidoterrestris D91°C 54.3; D97°C 8.8 7.7 MA pH 3.7A.acidoterrestris D91°C 46.1; D97°C 8.2 8.5 Citric Acid pH 3.1A.acidoterrestris D91°C 57.9; D97°C 10.8 8.2 Citric Acid pH 3.7A.acidoterrestris D91°C 49.1; D97°C 8.4 7.9 Tartaric Acid pH 3.1

Pontius, A. J., J. E. Rushing, and P. M. Foegeding. 1998. Heat resistance of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores as affected by various pH values and organic acids. J. Food Protection 61:41-46.

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

10-6Classified - Internal use

104

103

102

101

100

Minutes

1 log reduction

D203F = 2.8 minutes

D-Value

Process =203⁰F

D-value: Minutes to reduce the microbial population by 1-log

Classified - Internal use

104

103

102

101

100

Minutes

1 log reduction

D103C = 0.28 minutes = 16.8 seconds

D-Value

Process =95⁰C

z-value: 8⁰C

Classified - Internal use

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

10-6Classified - Internal use

Intervention strategies

1. Good Agricultural Practices. The organism does not spontaneously generate in the orange juice.

2. Good manufacturing processes – crush/juice facilities. Environmental samples (n=431, 5 packaging plants) have revealed TAB in the drains only; recycled condensate water.

3. Product formulation. “Preservatives”, pH, package, storage temperature (frozen?).

4. Thermal Process. Even a 0.1 log reduction, reduces.

Monitor the effectiveness of the above measures using microbiological analyses of statistically sound sample sizes

Questions?