Howard mold count of fruit nectars, purees, and pastes: collaborative study

The various mold count methods for nectars, purees, and pastes make no adjustment for concentration of the pulped liquid. Thus, mold counts of different forms of the same product (e.g., guava nectar, puree, or paste) or of the same product from different manufacturers cannot be compared. A method was developed in which the product is centrifuged under standardized conditions, then diluted to a standard pellet-to-final-volume ratio. Because variations in the concentration of fruit or vegetable tissue are corrected, comparisons of mold counts are possible. The method was adopted official first action.