Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thermal inactivation of Bacillus cereus spores in infant formula under shear conditions

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Dairy Science & Technology

Abstract

During production of spray-dried infant formulas, spores of Bacillus cereus have to be inactivated in order to assure product safety. The heating step which aims at the inactivation of bacterial spores can be conducted either before concentration of the product or afterwards. However, spores tend to show increased heat resistance in concentrated products. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the inactivation kinetic parameters for the inactivation of B. cereus spores in concentrated infant formula as well as in non-concentrated infant food. Spores of B. cereus IP5832 were suspended in reconstituted infant formula (10 and 50% total solids) and heat-treated at temperatures from 90 to 110 °C under shearing at \( \mathop{\gamma}\limits^{\bullet }=500\,{s^{-1 }} \). Additionally, experiments at 95 °C were performed in tubes without shearing in phosphate buffer and non-concentrated infant formula. In tubes, the inactivation curves exhibited tailing. When applying heat and shear stress, linear inactivation curves were observed in both the concentrated and the non-concentrated infant formula. The kinetic parameters E a and k ref (ϑ ref = 100 °C) based on the employed Arrhenius model were 201 kJ.mol−1 and 0.011 s−1 and 201 kJ.mol−1 and 0.021 s−1 for the concentrated and the non-concentrated medium, respectively. The D values in the concentrated product at the examined temperatures were twofold higher. The heat sensitivity (z value) of the spores was not altered by concentrating the medium. The data from this study can be used to design or evaluate heating processes for concentrated products aiming at the inactivation of B. cereus spores.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Becker H, Schaller G, Von Wiese W, Terplan G (1994) Bacillus cereus in infant foods and dried milk products. Int J Food Microbiol 23:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Behringer R, Kessler HG (1992a) Death rate of the indigenous mixed spore flora in skimmilk and skimmilk concentrates. Int Dairy J 2:83–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Behringer R, Kessler HG (1992b) Thermal destruction kinetics of spores of selected Bacillus strains in skimmilk and skimmilk concentrate. Int Dairy J 2:233–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christiansson A (2011) Pathogens in milk | Bacillus cereus. In: Fuquay E-i-CJW (ed) Encyclopedia of dairy sciences, 2nd edn. Academic, San Diego, pp 24–30

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Coroller L, Leguérinel I, Mafart P (2001) Effect of water activities of heating and recovery media on apparent heat resistance of Bacillus cereus spores. Appl Environ Microbiol 67:317–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cutting SM (2011) Bacillus probiotics. Food Microbiol 28:214–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dogan Z, Weidendorfer K, Müller-Merbach M, Lembke F, Hinrichs J (2009) Inactivation kinetics of Bacillus spores in batch- and continuous-heating systems. LWT Food Sci Technol 42:81–86

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duc LH, Hong HA, Barbosa TM, Henriques AO, Cutting SM (2004) Characterization of Bacillus probiotics available for human use. Appl Environ Microbiol 70:2161–2171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Furukawa S, Narisawa N, Watanabe T, Kawarai T, Myozen K, Okazaki S, Ogihara H, Yamasaki M (2005) Formation of the spore clumps during heat treatment increases the heat resistance of bacterial spores. Int J Food Microbiol 102:107–111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaillard S, Leguerinel I, Mafart P (1998) Model for combined effects of temperature, pH and water activity on thermal inactivation of Bacillus cereus spores. J Food Sci 63:887–889

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh S, Zhang P, Li YQ, Setlow P (2009) Superdormant spores of Bacillus species have elevated wet-heat resistance and temperature requirements for heat activation. J Bacteriol 191:5584–5591

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janštová B, Lukášová J (2001) Heat resistance of Bacillus spp. spores isolated from cow’s milk and farm environment. Acta Vet Brno 70:179–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leguerinel I, Spegagne I, Couvert O, Gaillard S, Mafart P (2005) Validation of an overall model describing the effect of three environmental factors on the apparent D-value of Bacillus cereus spores. Int J Food Microbiol 100:223–229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lucey JA (2008) Milk protein gels. In: Thompson A, Boland M, Singh H (eds) Milk proteins. Academic, San Diego, pp 449–481

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ma Y, Barbano DM (2003) Milk pH as a function of CO2 concentration, temperature, and pressure in a heat exchanger. J Dairy Sci 86:3822–3830

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mazas M, López M, González I, González J, Bernardo A, Martín R (1998) Effects of the heating medium pH on heat resistance of Bacillus cereus spores. J Food Saf 18:25–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazas M, López M, Martínez S, Bernardo A, Martin R (1999) Heat resistance of Bacillus cereus spores: effects of milk constituents and stabilizing additives. J Food Prot 62:410–413

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montville TJ, Dengrove R, De Siano T, Bonnet M, Schaffner DW (2005) Thermal resistance of spores from virulent strains of Bacillus anthracis and potential surrogates. J Food Prot 68:2362–2366

    Google Scholar 

  • Motulsky HJ, Christopoulos A (2003) Fitting models to biological data using linear and nonlinear regression. A practical guide to curve fitting. GraphPad Software, Inc., San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Reyes JE, Bastías JM, Gutiérrez MR, Rodríguez MO (2007) Prevalence of Bacillus cereus in dried milk products used by Chilean School Feeding Program. Food Microbiol 24:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rowan NJ, Anderson JG (1997) Maltodextrin stimulates growth of Bacillus cereus and synthesis of diarrheal enterotoxin in infant milk formulae. Appl Environ Microbiol 63:1182–1184

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Russel AD (1982) The destruction of bacterial spores. Academic, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Salaün F, Mietton B, Gaucheron F (2005) Buffering capacity of dairy products. Int Dairy J 15:95–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuck P (2011) Dehydrated dairy products | Milk powder: Types and manufacture. In: Fuquay E-i-CJW (ed) Encyclopedia of dairy sciences, 2nd edn. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 108–116

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Segner WP, Frazier WC, Calbert HE (1963) Thermal inactivation of heat-resistant bacterial spores in milk concentrate at ultra-high temperatures. J Dairy Sci 46:891–896

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaheen R, Andersson MA, Apetroaie C, Schulz A, Ehling-Schulz M, Ollilainen VM, Salkinoja-Salonen MS (2006) Potential of selected infant food formulas for production of Bacillus cereus emetic toxin, cereulide. Int J Food Microbiol 107:287–294

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shiota M, Saitou K, Mizumoto H, Matsusaka M, Agata N, Nakayama M, Kage M, Tatsumi S, Okamoto A, Yamaguchi S, Ohta M, Hata D (2010) Rapid detoxification of cereulide in Bacillus cereus food poisoning. Pediatrics 125:951–955

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stadhouders J, Hup G, Hassing F (1982) The conceptions index and indicator organisms discussed on the basis of the bacteriology of spray-dried milk powder. Neth Milk Dairy J 36:231–260

    Google Scholar 

  • Stenfors Arnesen LP, Fagerlund A, Granum PE (2008) From soil to gut: Bacillus cereus and its food poisoning toxins. FEMS Microbiol Rev 32:579–606

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Witthuhn M, Lücking G, Atamer Z, Ehling-Schulz M, Hinrichs J (2011) Thermal resistance of aerobic spore formers isolated from food products. Int J Dairy Technol 64:486–493

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu S, Labuza TP, Diez-Gonzalez F (2006) Thermal inactivation of Bacillus anthracis spores in cow’s milk. Appl Environ Microbiol 72:4479–4483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Stefan Nöbel and Jeanette Hauger for the help with the rheometer experiments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dairy Science and Technology, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Universität Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 21, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Marina Stoeckel, Anja Caroline Westermann, Zeynep Atamer & Jörg Hinrichs

Authors
  1. Marina Stoeckel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anja Caroline Westermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zeynep Atamer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jörg Hinrichs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marina Stoeckel.

About this article

Cite this article

Stoeckel, M., Westermann, A.C., Atamer, Z. et al. Thermal inactivation of Bacillus cereus spores in infant formula under shear conditions. Dairy Sci. & Technol. 93, 163–175 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13594-012-0101-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13594-012-0101-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation