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  Question : You are the Quality Assurance Director of a large consumer goods company specializing in the processing of canned, shelf-stable foods

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Question : You are the Quality Assurance Director of a large consumer goods company specializing in the processing of canned, shelf-stable foods. The product development (PD) team has recently developed a new soup line in a hermetically sealed container they hope to market and sell as a shelf-stable product (i.e., held at ambient temperatures for extended periods). At a recent team meeting you get to review the proposed product and processing specifications. You note a few key points: as the formulation contains several key ingredients that do not perform well (i.e., degradation of quality) when subjected to high temperatures for long periods of time the PD team wants to pasteurize instead of performing a traditional 'bot-cook'. The pH of the medium is 5.2. What concerns, if any, might you raise? If they proceed with pasteurization regardless what direction would you give them in terms of their assumptions concerning the merchandising strategy (i.e., distribution, storage and selling at ambient temperatures) and shelf life? What formulation suggestions could you make to PD so that the product could be more safely pasteurized? (i.e., not worry about C. Bot germination) Assume they eventually settle on a 'bot-cook' but they plan to sell the product to several Middle Eastern countries where the holding temperature is likely to exceed 35 °C for extended periods. Why would you point out that the product is at increased risk of?