Engineered Enzyme-Based Time-Temperature Indicators (TTIs) for Validating Food Pasteurization Processes

The investigators have developed a novel enzyme-based time-temperature indicator technology (TTIs) as a strategy to ensure that disease causing microorganismsare killed during food pasteurization processes. These TTIs will be used to validate microwave and radio-frequency (RF) food pasteurization treatments. Just as is the case for home microwave ovens, industrial microwave and RF heating units may not heatuniformly. The investigators' TTI can be used to easily determine where the hot and cold spots are in a food. This TTI project meets Federal food safety objectives by providing a practical, rapid, and accurate analytical method for determining whether a food has received an adequate pasteurization treatment without having to wait for days for theresults of microbiological testing.