Inactivation of Clostridium botulinum type A spores by high-pressure processing at elevated temperatures

The effects of high-pressure treatments at various temperature-time combinations on the inactivation of spores of Clostridium botulinum type A strains 62-A and BS-A in phosphate buffer (0.067 M, pH 7.0) and in a crabmeat blend were investigated. The log unit reduction of strain 62-A spores increased significantly as the processing pressure increased from 417 to 827 MPa (from 60,000 to 120,000 lb/in2) at 75 degrees C. The reduction of BS-A and 62-A spores in either medium increased as processing temperatures increased from 60 to 75 degrees C and processing times increased from 5 to 15 or 20 min at a maximum pressure of 827 MPa. Approximately 2- and 3-log reductions of BS-A and 62-A spores, respectively, in phosphate buffer were obtained at the maximum pressure-maximum temperature combination of 827 MPa and 75 degrees C for a processing time of 20 min. Processing for 15 min at the maximum pressure-maximum temperature combination resulted in maximum reductions of 3.2 and 2.7 log units for BS-A and 62-A spores, respectively, in the crabmeat blend. Results obtained in this study indicate that the crabmeat blend did not protect BS-A and 62-A spores against inactivation by high-pressure processing.