Laboratory tests on vegetable food

Many European companies used the Steriflow Cy to develop heat treatment trials on alternatives to traditional meat products (steaks, sausages, minced meat ​​…). The products have been tested in our laboratory in order to determine the best compromise between organoleptic characteristics and lifetime.

What is vegetable food?
Vegetable feeding puts vegetable food at the center of the meal. The “ordinary” design of the diet is then modified, replacing the meat with plant-based products. This mode of nutrition favors healthier eating habits.  

What is the conservation problem related to this type of food?
Like with any new product, it is necessary to understand the microbiological risk associated with raw materials and not underestimate it.

How did the laboratory tests at Steriflow solve this problem?
Several tests were carried out frontally in pasteurization and in sterilization with different parameters of heat treatment. Each trial was strictly monitored. The client’s organoleptic and microbiological analyzes were then used to choose the most suited to the desired objectives cycle.  

In general, what is the purpose of laboratory testing?
Laboratory tests allow:
– testing of a defined heat treatment (pasteurization / sterilization) on the product, and to observe the impact of the heat on it (organoleptic / visual) and on the packaging (resistance)
– to develop a thermal treatment (cycle) both on the bacteriological level (destruction of the microorganisms by obtaining the target sterilizing value / pasteurizing value) and on the sensory / organoleptic level
-develop a counter pressure system which ensures the integrity of the packaging and its non deformation during the heat treatment.