Novel refrigerated preservation performance indicator based on predictive microbiology and product time-temperature data, an essential tool to reach zero food waste

• Enrique Martínez-Martínez ^[1] ; Reynaldo de la Cruz Quiroz ^[1] ; Daniela González-de la Garza ^[1] ; Andrés García-Cortés ^[1] ; Gerardo Fernandez Villanueva ^[2] ; Fabian Fagotti ^[3] ; J. Antonio Torres ^[1]
  1. [1] Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

     Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

     México

     
  2. [2] Universidad de Guanajuato

     Universidad de Guanajuato

     México

     
  3. [3] Nidec Global Appliance México S de RL de CV (Embraco)

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• Localización: CyTA: Journal of food, ISSN 1947-6337, ISSN-e 1947-6345, Vol. 21, Nº. 1, 2023, págs. 64-71
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • This study evaluates the performance of residential refrigerators, the worst cold chain point. Cooked ham temperature was used to quantify their performance as affected by compressor technology (single speed, SS/variable speed, VS), ambient temperature (21.1°C, LT/32.2°C, HT), load (22.5 kg, RL/39.0 kg, HL), sample type (F = fixed, M = moved to emulate consumption during meals), and door openings emulating consumer practices. Cumulative growth for each 48 h test period (LAB APIT(t)) was estimated deterministically and probabilistically, i.e. considering only means and including variability, respectively. APIT(t) at the 5°C recommended for ham yielded 0.6157 log CFU/g. The ratio APIT(t)/API5°C defined a refrigerator performance indicator (RPI) with values above and below 1 indicating poor and superior performance, respectively. While deterministic RPI values ranged from 0.99 to 1.72 (SS/LT/RL/F and VS/HT/HL/M conditions, respectively), probabilistic 95% RPI percentiles exceeded 1 suggesting poor preservation performance of the residential refrigerator tested under realistic conditions.