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LOW MOISTURE FOOD VALIDATIONS

Low-Moisture Foods (LMF) are susceptible to contamination from a wide range of microbial hazards, with Salmonella as a predominant contaminant. Most microbial hazards cannot grow in Low-Moisture Foods due to the low water activity profile. However, pathogens like Salmonella can survive and remain viable for months, raising potential risks to consumers. The mitigation of pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods is usually obtained by the application of an inactivation stress. The control/validation of these inactivation steps is key to ensure the safety of processed Low-Moisture Foods.

Examples of processing technologies used to inactivate microbial hazards in low moisture foods:

Type of Food	Inactivation Step
Nuts & Seeds	Steam Pasteurization Roasting UV Infra-Red PPO
Herbs & Spices	Steam Pasteurization EtO Irradiation
Cocoa	Nib Roasting Bean Steam Pasteurization
PetFood & Feed	Cooking/Extrusion (Kibbles) Baking (Pet Treats)
Flours	Steam Pasteurization Radiofrequency Microwave
Baked Goods, Snacks, Breakfast Cereals	Cooking/Extrusion (e.g. breakfast cereals) Baking (e.g. biscuits)