Hurdle technology is used in industrialized as well as in developing countries for the gentle but

effective preservation of foods. Hurdle technology was developed several years ago as a new
concept for the production of safe, stable, nutritious, tasty, and economical foods. Previously
hurdle technology, i.e., a combination of preservation methods, was used empirically without
much knowledge of the governing principles. The intelligent application of hurdle technology
has become more prevalent now, because the principles of major preservative factors for foods
(e.g., temperature, pH, aw, Eh, competitive flora), and their interactions, became better known.
Recently, the influence of food preservation methods on the physiology and behavior of
microorganisms in foods, i.e. their homeostasis, metabolic exhaustion, stress reactions, are taken
into account, and the novel concept of multi-target food preservation emerged. The present
contribution reviews the concept of the potential hurdles for foods, the hurdle effect, and the
hurdle technology for the prospects of the future goal of a multi-target preservation of foods.
Hurdles / Food safety

Hurdles is a philosophy and a technique wrapped into one. Its purpose is to impart the
greatest degree of resistance to bacterial growth as possible into a food product.
Hurdles states that by confronting food pathogens or spoilage organisms with a
multiple set of barriers that each inhibit growth, they will be challenged to such a
degree that the organisms are effectively eliminated.
Spoilage and pathogenic bacteria have significant ability to grow and prosper when they
are given optimum conditions supplying their needs. Bacteria are capable of doubling
their numbers every 20 minutes, achieving exponential growth patterns. This can
quickly load up a food with bacteria, degrade food quality, infect the consumer with
overly large numbers of pathogens, or load up the food with toxins that react quickly
after ingestion.
All bacteria have specific barriers to growth, unsuitable conditions that kill them or hold
them back. These barriers are different for different bacteria and so, when one wants to
protect a food product one must first know the characteristics of the resident organisms
one is targeting. Then barriers are chosen that are compatible with the food and yet
effective against the organisms of concern.

Bacteria are almost never completely destroyed or completely held back by any one
treatment. Because of their large numbers and ability to mutate during multiple
divisions and doublings, new populations may emerge that are resistant to a particular
treatment even though large numbers of unmutated cells are killed off. This new small
generation will rapidly grow and become the significant population - unless faced with
another different barrier that they must overcome - and again and again.
Some treatments may be severe (heat), some are becoming socially unacceptable
(preservatives) and some are more subtle (chilling) but all must be considered by the
Food Scientist when putting together a processing plan for every food product he/she is
responsible for. The consequences of failure are unacceptable.

What are these barriers to growth - each organism has different conditions that kill or
inhibit growth. For example, whereas refrigeration may inhibit some organisms (Staph)
it may have little effect on others (Listeria). Because of this, when considering
protecting a food product from bacterial effect, multiple barriers must be chosen that
will be effective against the primary organisms that have been identified as
problematic.
Hurdles to Choose from:
1.) Heat - range from pasteurizing treatments (milk) to sterilizing treatments (canned
goods).
2.) Refrigeration - open goods must be held above 140F or below 40F, not in between.
3.) Freezing - all activity stopped, although organisms are not killed by freezing.
4.) Drying - removal of water to point where organisms cannot grow.
5.) Aw - Active Water - binding water to point where it is bound too tightly to support
growth.
6.) Redox Eh - environment encouraging oxidation / reduction reactions.
7.) Packaging - protect food from exposure, packaging material may contain
preservatives.
8.) Modified atmosphere packaging - removal of oxygen to create anaerobic
atmosphere.
9.) Fermentation - alcohol replacement for nutrients such as sugar.
10.) Sugar - as concentrations increase sugar inhibits growth, particularly through
binding water.
11.) Salt - significant inhibitor, used heavily for pickling operations, or even
preservation of meats.
12.) Acidity - pH - significant as organisms all have optimum pH growth ranges.
13.) Chemical preservatives - highly effective in combination with pH.
14.) Competition from dominant bacteria - lactobacillus, acidophilus in dairy.
15.) Low nutrient levels - witholding key nutrients for growth.
16.) Ultrasound - sterilizing treament in liquids.
17.) Ultraviolet light - sterilizing treatment under radiation.

18.) Gamma Radiation - significant ability to stop growth.

19.) Microwave - sterilizing treatment under radiation.
20.) High frequency sound - sterilizing treatment under radiation.
21.) High pressure homogenization - pressure and heat.
22.) Smoke - many preserving ingredients in smoke.
23.) Modified atmosphere storage - lower oxygen, increased carbon dioxide.
24.) Carbonation - carbonic acid in liquids.
25.) Filtration - ultrafiltration, hepa, charcoal treatments.
Implementation of HACCP - Food processing companies small and large are required by
law to create a plan that recognizes and identifies potential food safety hazards and
then provides treatments that eliminate the threats. Generally this plan is formatted
under a methodology known as HACCP - Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. The
plan documents the process step by step for each food product; identifies points where
hurdles must be applied and identifies monitoring steps the processor will take to
ensure that each hurdle is occurring and is being effective. The HACCP plan is
administered and documented by the company and monitored by CFIA. It is the first
item demanded by inspectors when doing routine plant inspections or when some
problem arises that may demand an action such as a recall.
Implementaion of GMP's - food companies are also obligated to follow another
regulatory program known as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). This program refers
more to the environment that products are made in rather than the focused product
based safety program of HACCP. GMP program categories include:
Plant Construction and Grounds
Sanitation
Pest control / Sanitation
Training / Personnel
Equipment
Manufacturing Control
Quality Control
Documentation
Recall Program

Read more: http://www.food-by-a-food-scientist.com/hurdles/