Hurdle Technology
Main article: Hurdle technologyHurdle technology is a method of ensuring that pathogens in food products can be eliminated or controlled by combining more than one approach. These approaches can be thought of as "hurdles" the pathogen has to overcome if it is to remain active in the food. The right combination of hurdles can ensure all pathogens are eliminated or rendered harmless in the final product.
Hurdle technology has been defined by Leistner (2000) as an intelligent combination of hurdles which secures the microbial safety and stability as well as the organoleptic and nutritional quality and the economic viability of food products. The organoleptic quality of the food refers to its sensory properties, that is its look, taste, smell and texture.
Examples of hurdles in a food system are high temperature during processing, low temperature during storage, increasing the acidity, lowering the water activity or redox potential, or the presence of preservatives or biopreservatives. According to the type of pathogens and how risky they are, the intensity of the hurdles can be adjusted individually to meet consumer preferences in an economical way, without sacrificing the safety of the product.
| Principal hurdles used for food preservation (after Leistner, 1995) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Parameter | Symbol | Application |
| High temperature | F | Heating |
| Low temperature | T | Chilling, freezing |
| Reduced water activity | aw | Drying, curing, conserving |
| Increased acidity | pH | Acid addition or formation |
| Reduced redox potential | Eh | Removal of oxygen or addition of ascorbate |
| Biopreservatives | Competitive flora such as microbial fermentation | |
| Other preservatives | Sorbates, sulfites, nitrites | |
Read more about this topic: Food Preservation
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