Aseptically Packaged Food (ASP)

Preparation and Storage of Ingredients
1. Other than that, it is the responsible of both parties, suppliers and sellers to:
  1. Ensure the goods received are in compliance with specifications
  2. Suppliers should furnish written guarantees that the ingredients are not adulterated and, where appropriate, meet FDA or other regulatory requirements.
  3. Accurate receiving records must be maintained showing batch codes
2. In terms of avoiding decrease in ingredients' shelf life, the microbial proliferation or also known as ‘incipient spoilage’ must be avoided which are due the presence of thermostable enzymes
3. Firstly, the ingredients will go through High Temperature Short Time (HTST)/ Ultra High Temperature (UHT). In this process, the heati may be not enough to inactivate enzymes although quite adequate to destroy the spoilage organisms .
Processing Methods
1. provide products, that retain desirable sensory qualities for an acceptable period of shelf time without refrigeration or freezing
  1. Direct steam infusion or injection
    1. Direct heating/cooling- utilizes a steam chamber and vacuum vessel
    2. Direct steam sterilizing- versatile aseptic processing method designed primarily to heat and cool fluid foods through their critical heat ranges in a matter of seconds.
  2. Tubular heaters
    1. Tubular aseptic sterilizing-indirect heating/ cooling method that uses stainless steel coiled or trombone tubular heat exchangers.
  3. Scraped-surface heat exchangers
    1. Scraped-surface sterilizing-indirect heating/ cooling method incorporating a dasher (shaft) with scraper blades that rotates inside a heat exchange cylinder
  4. Plate heat exchangers
    1. Indirect heating/cooling method
Process Control and Validation
1. 5 conditions in order to produce a satisfactory products: 1. Sterile equipment 2. Sterile product 3. Sterile container 4. Sterile environment during filling 5. Seal and container integrity maintenance
2. - Spores may grow in (APF) and may develop toxins. - Pathogen Clostridium botulinum against sterilization process must be development
3. - Scheduled process established and adequate heat-resistant spore formers. - Between 76.7 °C and 87.8 °C is range heat-stable enzymes may be inactivated for appropriate periods of time.
4. - Target pathogen (Cl. Botulinum) categorization of foods into low-acid with a pH above 4.6 (USA) or 4.5 (UK) - Acid is a valid one, just as it is for conventional canning - a ‘high-acid’ category is recognized e.g. ketchup, the target will be acid-tolerant spoilage organisms, especially the ascospore formers including the yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii.
5. 3 separate experiments are expected to be performed by FDA: 1.first raw product is inoculated with a specific number and type of organisms, and their absence must be demonstrated in the finished product. 2. the packaging material paper stock or plastic film needs to be inoculated with an organism to demonstrate that the peroxide treatment, or whatever sterilization system is used, destroys all contaminants present 3. test consists of inoculating the air space in the sterile zone of the filler to demonstrate the effectiveness of the pre-sterilization procedures in destroying these organisms
6. NFPA recommends that at least four commercial runs of uninoculated product be packed and incubated followed by examination for evidence of spoilage and for proper functioning of the sealing equipment.
7. Aseptic packaging systems that rely on Hz02 as the package sterilant, must initially demonstrate (and continually monitor to assure) that the H202 residue in the final container does not exceed the 0.5 ppm residue level stipulated by FDA
Pacakaging Materials
1. Rigid Containers
  1. 1. External Defects : a.Visual examination (denting, perforation, buckling, presence of corrosion and stains, and rough edges) b.Can to be disposed (presence of flippers or swollen cans)
  2. 2. Double Seam Evaluation: a. Can ripdown provides necessary information relating to proper closure of can end to body b. Routine measurements (body hook, cover hook (overlap), seam width, countersink depth, and seam tightness)
  3. 3. Level Of Vacuum: a.Measurement of headspace vacuum is accomplished using a device which punctures through the top and which is connected to a vacuum gauge b. The information can relate to container integrity
  4. 4. Biotesting:- rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible container a. Fill the container with a nutrient broth and sealing normally b. Container is then maintained in contact with a medium infected with a test organism c. Container is incubated, followed by assessment of microbial growth
2. Semi-rigid and flexible containers
  1. 1. Vacuum Methods a. Vacuum is applied to the vessel and observation made for expressed product or bubbles b. Smoke particles or dye can be used for observation and to pinpoint leakage sites
  2. 2. Pressure Methods a. Pressurized by puncturing with a tube which injects compressed gas
  3. 3. Helium, Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen, Organic Solvent and Water Vapor Leak Detection Methods
3. Issues
  1. Flexibility
  2. Pinhole
  3. Vertical Shock
  4. Compression
  5. Seal Failure
4. Quality Assurance
  1. Inspection of incoming material
  2. Lack of uniformity
  3. Package sterilizing process
Coding and Labelling
1. spelling out critical production data
2. ‘expiration’ or ‘best used by’ date should be prominently displayed on the package
3. UPC (Universal Product Code) bar-code
4. Packages larger than single-service should bear a warning that any unused portion of the product should be refrigerated after opening
Storage and Distribution
1. Require extra care due to less robust pack
  1. Pack into cartons and overwraps
  2. Avoid overstacking
2. Good pest control in the warehouse
3. 'First-in, First-out'

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Aseptically Packaged Food (ASP)

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	Created by Nor Azmaria about 8 years ago