Kinetic analysis and modelling of combined high-pressure–temperature inactivation of the yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii

Eight foodborne yeasts were screened for sensitivity to high-pressure (HP) inactivation under a limited number of pressure–temperature combinations. The most resistant strains were Zygoascus hellenicus and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. The latter was taken for a detailed study of inactivation kinetics over a wide range of pressures (120–320 MPa) and temperatures (−5 to 45°C). Isobaric and isothermal inactivation experiments were conducted in Tris–HCl buffer pH 6.5 for 48 different combinations of pressure and temperature. Inactivation was biphasic, with a first phase encompassing four to six decades and being described by first-order kinetics, followed by a tailing phase. Decimal reduction times (D) were calculated for the first-order inactivation phase and their temperature and pressure dependence was described. At constant temperature, D decreased with increasing pressure as expected. At constant pressure, D showed a maximum at around 20°C, and decreased both at lower and at higher temperatures. A mathematical expression was developed to describe accurately the inactivation of Z. bailii as a function of pressure and temperature under the experimental conditions employed. A limited number of experiments in buffer at low pH (3–6) suggest that the model is, in principle, applicable at low pH. In apple and orange juice however, higher inactivation than predicted by the model was achieved.