Thermal sanitizing of a low-Acid foodstuff. A case study: Truffle sauce packaged in glass jars

The aim of this experimental activity was: i) to individuate the location of the slowest heating zones (cold spots) inside the treated product; and ii) to verify the effectiveness of the heat treatment performed by a private company on glass jars filled with truffle sauce, in order to determine whether the sterilization process was able to realize the wished reduction of Clostridium botulinum spores also in the cold spots and then to ensure the acceptable level of safety for this specific foodstuff. In the experimental conditions used, the thermal treatment performed at Savini Tartufi s.r.l. was largely effective in order to achieve the acceptable level of safety for the truffle sauce. The preliminary individuation of the cold spots inside the truffle sauce allowed to determine that the thermal treatment applied in these positions ensured a number of decimal reduction 2.3 times greater than that currently requested.