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Bulletin 92 |
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Bulletin 92 |
MOLD, YEAST AND BACTERIA IN
THE FOOD PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT
Mold, yeast and bacteria . . . culprits in the food processing environment. Microbial contamination that grow on food stuffs are living organisms. Visual evidence of rot in food products can usually be traced to one or more of the “Big 3” – bacteria, yeast and mold. The rot can be colorful circles of fluffy mold growth, musty or sickly sweet odors on crumbled bakery products. Let’s take a look at mold and its deteriorating and decomposing effect on food products.
Just what is mold? Well, for sure, it is a living plant and it grows on food material suitable to its needs. A cottony living material, it contains spores that are likened to seeds. The spores are reproductive. Exceedingly small and light (.0001 of an inch in diameter), they are easily transported on air streams in a food processing plant.
A small mold spore can produce thousands of spores and a moldy loaf of bread may contain millions of spores. This condition makes it very viable for the slightest puff of air to spread spores to “kingdom’s end”, filling the ambient air space with incredible numbers. Mold spores are found practically everywhere . . . in the air, on walls, on floors- you name and they are probably there. Rampant molds are variously colored ranging from blue, green, brown, red, yellow, orange, white, black and pink. They favor and grow in warm, moist dark areas.
Three types of
Common Bread Molds are:
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Aspergillus May be brown, black or green. The ultraviolet level of germicidal light required for destruction is 330,000 mW seconds/cm² for the black type. This type of mold is far and away the toughest mold spore to attack. |
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Rhizopus Nigricans Is a gray to black mold commonly called “whiskers”. The ultraviolet level of germicidal light required for destruction is 220,000 mW seconds/cm² for destruction and like the Aspergillus is a difficult mold to conquer. |
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Pencillium The pencil mold exists in many colored varieties, frequently green or blue. The pencillium digitations is olive in color and requires 88,000 mW seconds/cm² for destruction. |
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Use of a germicidal lamp can destroy or suppress growth of mold and bacteria. Mold spores are difficult destroy or control, and adequate sanitary measures in addition to UV germicidal lamps are often necessary.
The use of ultraviolet germicidal light is a good asset in mold control, along with other sanitary practices. Mold spores can be blown into a plant facility. Therefore, rubbish and trash outside the plant should be removed daily. Boxes, trays and cartons are also sources of contamination or food adulteration. Disinfectants can be used for sanitizing. Air ducts and ventilating systems are usually loaded with mold spores. Placement of UVC lamps in the ductwork is an excellent method of reducing microbial contamination. In essence, a clean plant is the best mold preventative.
Now let’s look at two other microbial contaminants that require a vigilant degree of control. The first is yeast, which can be wild yeast in the air currents or yeast that somehow was transferred via the soles of shoes or air drafts. In a bakery environment, for instance, yeast appears in the product surface as slightly fluffy, but it does not extend very far from the crust surface. It will remain flat and grows in small white circles. Another type of microbial contamination in the food processing area is Rope Bacteria. This bacteria gradually decomposes the inside of the baked product and discolors the crumb. The crumb becomes silky, gummy and can be pulled in to that of an overripe cantaloupe. Rope Bacteria usually occurs in hot, humid weather
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