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Effect of compressed carbon dioxide on microbial cell viability
E Debs-Louka1, N Louka, G Abraham
1Laboratoire Maîtrise des Technologies Agro-Industrielles, Université de La Rochelle, Pôle Sciences et Technologies, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex, France. edebs@lmtai.univ-lr.fr
Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|January 30, 1999
Summary
Compressed carbon dioxide (CO2) effectively inactivates microbes like E. coli and S. cerevisiae. Higher pressure and longer exposure times increase CO2
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Food Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Microbial inactivation is crucial for food safety and preservation.
- Conventional methods may impact food quality.
- Novel inactivation techniques are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of compressed carbon dioxide (CO2) for microbial inactivation.
- To determine the influence of CO2 pressure and exposure time on microbial survival.
- To develop predictive models for microbial inactivation.
Main Methods:
- Development of a novel pressurizable reactor system.
- Treatment of Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Enterococcus faecalis.
- Application of response-surface methodology to analyze inactivation data.
Main Results:
- Microbial inactivation varied significantly among species.
- Increased CO2 pressure and exposure time enhanced cell destruction.
- A linear correlation was found between inactivation and CO2 parameters.
- Proposed models accurately predicted experimental inactivation values.
- No significant change in sample pH was observed.
Conclusions:
- Compressed CO2 is a promising method for microbial inactivation.
- CO2 pressure and exposure time are key parameters for optimizing inactivation.
- Predictive models can guide process design for microbial control.