Safety aspects of "sous vide" products and prevention of microbial risks

The diversity and quantities of vacuum packed and vacuum cooked prepared meals and menu components are rapidly growing on the European market. Because of the minimal heat processing, high water activity, absence of preservatives, and the use of many different often exotic ingredients, these products have a high risk potential. For this reason, Anglo-Saxon governments and industries are very sceptical about the safety of "sous vide" products. Industrial practice, as well as parallel tests and recent studies on inoculated packs have shown that, in many cases, it is more a potential than a real risk. Quality is the primary concern for "sous vide" products, and safety must be guaranteed by the application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept, along with an adequate combination of different inhibitory factors (temperature of heating and cooling, pH, incorporation of starter cultures, bacteriocins and some particular enzymes).