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OPERATING TEMPERATURES IN CHILLED FOOD VENDING MACHINES AND RISK OF GROWTH OF FOOD POISONING ORGANISMS.

Author(s) : LIGHT N., YOUNG H., YOUNGS A.

Type of article: Article

Summary

A SURVEY OF THE OPERATING TEMPERATURES OF CHILLED FOOD VENDING MACHINES WAS CARRIED OUT BOTH UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS AND UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. IT WAS SHOWN THAT THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE FLUCTUATION OF TEMPERATURES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF MANY OF THE MACHINES. IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR MACHINES TO EXHIBIT TEMPERATURES OVER 283 K (10 DEG C) AND SOMETIMES AS LOW AS 272 K (-1 DEG C). DIFFERENT MACHINE TYPES SHOWED VARIABILITY IN MAINTAINING LOW STORAGE TEMPERATURES. 45% OF MACHINES STUDIED WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE IN PARTS OF THEIR CABINETS BETWEEN 273 AND 278 K (0 AND 5 DEG C) FOR EVEN AS MUCH AS 50% OF THEIR WORKING TIME. HOWEVER, MUCH OF THIS VARIATION WAS ASCRIBED TO CONSUMER USE (IE THROUGH THE OPENING OF CABINET DOORS), AS LABORATORY TRIALS SHOWED THAT ONE TYPE OF MACHINE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN AN AVERAGE CABINET TEMPERATURE OF 277.4 K (4.4 DEG C) MORE OR LESS 1.4 K. IN VIEW OF THE KNOWN GROWTH BEHAVIOUR OF PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS WAS A DEFINITE RISK OF FOOD POISONING FROM CHILLED VENDED FOODS ON THE BASIS OF THE LARGE TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS.

Details

  • Original title: OPERATING TEMPERATURES IN CHILLED FOOD VENDING MACHINES AND RISK OF GROWTH OF FOOD POISONING ORGANISMS.
  • Record ID : 1988-1866
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Food Sci. Technol. Today - vol. 1 - n. 4
  • Publication date: 1987/12
  • Document available for consultation in the library of the IIR headquarters only.

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