S08 - Spores, Spores, and More Spores...What Is Spoiling My RTD Beverage? Is It Alicyclobacillus or Heat Resistant Mold?

Macleod D
Organizers: Indaue Mello-Hall and Kathleen Lawlor
Convenors: Indaue Mello-Hall and Kathleen Lawlor

1:30 What We Know about Alicyclobacillus: An Australian Perspective — Nancy Jensen, Food Science Australia, North Ryde, NSW, Australia

2:00 Alicyclobacillus in Beverages: Spoilage Potential and Mitigation Approaches — Yuhuan Chen, Food Products Association, Washington, D.C., USA

2:30 Total Systems Approach to Control Alicyclobacillus spp. in the Beverage Industry — Kathleen Lawlor, PepsiCo, Valhalla, NY, USA

3:00 Break

3:30 Update on Methods for Detecting and Identifying Heat Resistant Mold in Beverages — Ailsa Hocking, Food Science Australia, North Ryde, NSW, Australia

4:00 Life and Death Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors on Resistance of Heat-resistant Molds — Ailsa Hocking, Food Science Australia, North Ryde, NSW, Australia

4:30 Heat Resistant Molds in High Acid Beverages: The Quest for Effective Control Strategies —Jay Schuman , PepsiCo/QTG, Barrington, IL, USA

Abstract
“Now you see it... now you don’t.” From fleeting images in holograms to disappearing coins in shell games, this well-recognized phrase has been associated with many events of a transitory nature, including intermittent spoilage of shelf-stable, non-carbonated, high-acid beverages by Alicyclobacillus spp. (ACB) and Heat Resistant Mold (HRM). These thermotolerant sporeformers are of concern to processors for a number of reasons, including: a) the ability of the spores to survive conventional hot-fill and aseptic pasteurization treatments; b) poor detection capability, due to low contamination levels in ingredients and manufacturing environments; c) increased growth potential in higher-oxygen environments, such as large headspace and PET packaging; d) spoilage onset after products are already in the distribution chain; and e) lack of overt signs of spoilage (for ACBs in general, and for HRMs in cloudy beverages). This symposium will address the sources and significance of ACBs and HRMs in high-acid beverage plants and products, provide an overview of organism growth characteristics and spoilage manifestations, identify processing steps and operational practices that select for ACBs and HRMs, review current detection methodologies, and offer potential strategies for controlling these organisms throughout the supply chain.