The newly improved Corbion Listeria Control Model offers the option of mimicking different storage conditions for food products in production, at retail, and with the consumer, so manufacturers can fight real-world pathogen wars more effectively.

An important weapon in producers’ food safety arsenal is becoming even more effective with the incorporation of new functionality in the Corbion Listeria Control Model (CLCM), available to Corbion customers worldwide. The easy-to-use, proprietary online tool is designed to streamline product development by quickly identifying optimal antimicrobial interventions based on product formulation and other factors, including temperature. The tool, which is backed by more than two decades of rigorous control study data, now includes a new dynamic temperature feature that allows users to input up to five different storage conditions with ascending temperature profiles to more accurately mimic real-world storage and distribution conditions.

"The Listeria Control Model is a crucial tool that empowers customers to quickly identify the best preservation solution for their products, saving them time and money that would have been spent on multiple iterations of validation testing," said Lonneke van Dijk, senior director, Preservation at Corbion. "The upgraded version of the tool is now more dynamic, allowing producers to factor in multiple storage conditions, resulting in more accurate predictions that reflect the temperature variability their products face in the real world. And that can help reduce pathogen risks even further," he further added.

The dynamic temperature feature is especially significant for European manufacturers since some EU countries require Listeria challenge study test data that includes three different storage conditions or temperatures to more accurately mimic real-world conditions. The upgraded CLCM accommodates up to five different storage conditions with ascending temperatures and adjustable time periods when calculating predicted Listeria growth, providing food producers with a more flexible, accurate, and user-friendly tool that allows them to minimize the time, effort, and expense invested in conducting these important studies.

The CLCM leverages research data compiled by Corbion through specifically designed and validated Listeria challenge studies over more than 20 years. Referencing that data, and considering key product characteristics and storage conditions, the model estimates microbial outgrowth. Users input variables such as moisture level, pH, sodium and potassium content, nitrite levels, and water activity as well as storage temperature. Based on the proposed antimicrobial solution and dosage levels, the tool then generates detailed reports that plot predicted Listeria growth in the product over time. If predicted results don’t match the goals of the formulation, it’s simple to adjust the dosage or examine the results a different antimicrobial would achieve.

“Being able to more quickly and accurately identify the optimal Listeria control solution helps our customers better protect their customers and their brands, reduce product waste, and streamline product development,” Van Dijk added. “It also allows them to be more responsive to the changing needs of the market.”