reference micro-organism

Most heat-resistant micro–organism of those that may potentially develop and cause product spoilage. Its thermal death time curve should be used to determine the most suitable heat sterilisation or pasteurisation treatment for each product. Propionic bacteria are taken as the reference micro–organisms for table olives, for which the equation of the thermal death time is defined by a reference temperature equal to 62.4 ºC and a z curve of 5.25.