Modeling non-isothermal heat inactivation of microorganisms having biphasic isothermal survival curves

Biphasic isothermal inactivation constitutes a special case of non-linear mortality kinetics. It can be modeled with a primary model that contains an 'If' statement and three temperature dependent survival parameters: the first and second logarithmic inactivation rate constants and the time of the transition from one phase to the other. The temperature dependence of the two inactivation rates of Salmonella enteritidis and that of the transition time determined from published data could be described by empirical logistic terms. These were used to construct an inactivation rate equation for non-isothermal heating and cooling regimes. The resulting differential equation, despite having an 'If' statement in its formulation, could be easily solved numerically for simple as well elaborate temperature profiles. The solutions for a variety of realistic heat treatment histories indicated that when the heating or cooling rate is high enough, the biphasic character of the inactivation disappears. This is true regardless of whether the rate at the first phase is higher than at the second, the most common scenario, or vice versa. Theoretically, the same will happen with inactivation caused by a non thermal agent whose intensity increases or diminishes, in biphasic growth under rapidly varying conditions and in enzymatic activity or inactivation.