Do you know what’s hidden in spices? Cleaning and sterilisation under the loupe
The dynamic development of the food industry, technological innovations and increasing quality requirements in food production make it necessary to use natural spices of the highest quality and microbiological purity.
As natural plant raw materials, rich in flavour and aroma, spices play a key role in the final food product. Their visual, taste and aroma qualities are important, but food safety and consumer health protection are a priority.
Microbiological contaminants in spices - what are their sources?
Apart from their sensory qualities, herbs and spices also contain bioactive, antioxidant and antimicrobial substances. However, they can be contaminated physically, ferromagnetically, biologically and microbiologically.
The main source of microbial contamination of spices is the microflora of the ground in which the raw material plants grow. In addition, risks also come from atmospheric conditions such as rainfall, climate, sunshine and season. In this connection, the microflora can also be influenced by industrial areas and the degree of urbanisation of the region.
A factor that can lead to secondary contamination of spices is improper treatment of raw materials. Errors during harvesting, lack of hygiene during processing and improper drying, storage and transport methods can lead to contamination of the raw material.
Sterilisation of spices - a modern solution for the food industry
Promar responds to the high quality requirements of the food manufacturer market by offering pressure-steam sterilisation of spices. This is one of the most effective and safest methods of decontaminating spices, ensuring the reduction of microorganisms without losing their natural properties.
Our sterilised spices are characterised by:
- Selected natural raw materials,
- Advanced purification process on a modern foreign body separation line,
- Pressure-steam sterilisation, which strongly reduces the level of microbiological contamination,
- Full quality control in the company's microbiology laboratory.
Using sterilised spices in various food sectors
Our dedicated line of PROAROMA spice blends, which includes sterilised spices, has been developed for the dairy, meat and fish sectors. The benefits of their use are:
1. minimising the risk of microbiological contamination and minimising the introduction of unwanted microflora into the product,
2. extending shelf life, which affects product stability.
Promar offers a wide range of sterilised spices, including onion and garlic flakes, developed thanks to co-financing by the European Union. We create spice blends based on traditional recipes and innovative flavour compositions adapted to the needs of the modern food industry.
The sterilisation of spices is not only a guarantee of safety, but also preserves their unique taste and aroma - the key to the quality of the final food product.
Author: Dominika Gawłowicz-Cebula, PROMAR R&D Manager
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