Thermal resistance of bacterial spores in particulate foods

Sterilization of liquids and solids in HTST-processes differs in several respects: a) if conventional heat exchangers are used, the particles will heat up less rapid than liquids do and as a consequence severe temperature differences build up between surface and center parts of the particles b) in continous flows systems it is impossible to determine the temperature within the particles irrespective which heat transfer technology will be used c) as a rule microorganisms are not as homogeneously distributed in particles as they mostly are in liquids d) components of particulate foods might exert direct influences upon thermal inactivation of bacterial spores. Some of these aspects mentioned above are treated in detail.