FST 235: Thermal Processing
Second Semester, AY 2023-24
Problem Set A
1. The decimal reduction times D for a spore suspension were measured at
several temperatures, as follows:
Temperature (°C) D (min)
104 27.5
107 14.5
110 7.5
113 4.0
116 2.2
Determine the thermal resistance constant z for the spores.
2. D of a given bacterium in milk at 65°C is 15 minutes. When a food sample that has 1010 cells of the
bacterium per gram of food is heated for 10 minutes at 75°C, the number of survivors is 2.15 × 10 3
cells. Calculate z for this bacterium.
3. The decimal reduction time D at 121 °C (D121) and the value z for a thermophilic spore in whole milk
were determined experimentally to be equal to 30 s and 10.5 °C respectively. Calculate the D value at
150 °C (D150)
4. Clostridium sporogenes (PA 3679) was grown in strained peas and allowed to germinate and sporulate.
The spores were harvested and a uniform concentration of 10,000 spores per ml was made for each
TDT tube. The spore suspensions were exposed at 240°F (115.6°C) at different times. The following
results were obtained:
Time (min) Spore concentration (per ml)
10 90
14 11
18 2
22 3 x 10-3
Plot the data and determine the D-value of the organism.
5. Sealed tubes containing equal number of Clostridium botulinum spores were heated for 10 to 15 mins
at 120°C. The survivors were 4600 and 160, respectively. What is the D value of the microorganism?
6. The F value at 121.1 °C (250°F) for 99.999% inactivation for a strain of Clostridium botulinum is 1.20
minutes. What is the D value of the microorganism at 121.1˚C? Considering that 12 is the minimum SV
for the inactivation of C. botulinum spores, calculate the F˚ based on the inactivation of C. botulinum.
7. The following decimal reduction times were obtained for Bacillus stearothermophilus A and B and PA
3679 in phosphate buffer, pH 7.0.
D (minutes)
Temperature (°F) A B PA 3679
230 110 85 21
235 52 46 11
240 23 26 5
245 12 14 2.6
250 5.8 7.4 1.3
Plot the thermal resistance curves in a semilog paper and label correctly. Compute the z values, Q 10,
and the activation energies of each microorganism.
