The perils of processed herbs and spices: The encapsulation of herbs and spices as an effective method to eliminate E. coli, Salmonella and other pathogens

Abstract

In recent years, consumer demand has very much been for fresh quality food at the point of delivery. An explosion in the range of processed foods available in the supermarket chiller cabinet has occurred to meet this demand. Chilled ready meals, pizzas, speciality sausages and other small goods all have to live up to consumer expectations of visual appearance, flavour and eating quality, whilst safely achieving a commercially acceptable shelf‐life. All these products contain one common flavouring ingredient, which can severely limit the time a food item can remain on display in the chiller cabinet – herbs and spices. This paper discusses the various strategies and processes currently in use to reduce the microbial loads of herbs and spices to acceptable levels, including improved agricultural methods product selection, irradiation, heat treatment, flavour extraction through steam distillation, and micro encapsulation.

Citation

White, R. (2002), "The perils of processed herbs and spices: The encapsulation of herbs and spices as an effective method to eliminate E. coli, Salmonella and other pathogens", British Food Journal, Vol. 104 No. 9, pp. 724-729. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700210443101