ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to investigate the nature of the potential threat from bacterial pathogens, particularly how survival and growth of the organisms of concern relate to the microbial ecology of Modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) and sous vide products. In MAP and sous vide products the constituent gases may well change with time depending upon: the permeability of the packaging material used; the indigenous changes in the atmosphere resulting from reactions in the food; those changes produced by growth of surviving microorganisms associated with the food. The majority of MAP and sous vide products have few “barriers” to prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, other than heat treatment and modification of the gaseous environment within the package. The potential for growths of pathogens which survive the pasteurization process given sous vide products can be controlled through the application of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point program.
