Comparison of Two Models for Process Holding Time Calculations: Convection System

The reaction kinetics of microbial destruction in food products are generally determined by the Thermal Death Time method (TDT), while chemical changes have traditionally been calculated by the more widely accepted Arrhenius approach. These two methods do not reconcile mathematically, and simply stated, one is the inverse of the other. It was of interest therefore to consider the relationship of these methods relative to each other on a mathematically simulated and experimental basis. The kinetic parameters of Saccharomyces uvarum were determined experimentally and used to calculate simulated processes in accordance to the relationships dictated by the TDT and Arrhenius models. The simulation results indicated a discrepancy between the methods, the Arrhenius approach requiring about 16% more time to complete a process. Based on five processing trials carried out using S. uvarum the actual process times were compared to those predicted by the TDT and Arrhenius methods. The Arrhenius method predicted the correct process times on the average, while the TDT predictions were short by about 8% in terms of time. From a microbiological standpoint, these differences are not likely to be singificant, however, they may be important if the TDT method is used to characterize the kinetic parameters of more rigerously defined chemical systems.