ABSTRACT
In the 1950s, it was predicted that by the 1970s, aseptic processing would be commonplace. Problems that inhibited industrial adoption of aseptic processing were initially associated with material handling and packaging. Calculation of an aseptic process to ensure commercial sterility is based on the thermal death time (TDT) model developed by Ball for in-container processing. Thermal processes at ultrahigh temperature are designed based on extrapolation of TDT data obtained at lower temperatures because it has been extremely difficult to generate TDT data at temperatures up to 150C. Since there has been some question of the appropriateness of extrapolating TDT data outside the maximum temperature investigated, the Food and Drug Administration has restricted the calculated lethality in aseptic processing to that obtained in the hold tube, to ensure satisfactory thermal treatment. In aseptic processing, a hold tube, and a cooling heat exchanger to a filler head where product is deposited aseptically into sterile packages.
