Description
Pressure canning raises low‑acid foods to 116 °C (240 °F) at 10 psi to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores.
Technical
The high‑pressure environment forces water above its normal boiling point, allowing uniform heat transfer that denatures bacterial enzymes and disrupts spore membranes. At 116 °C, the dipicolinic acid–protein complexes in C. botulinum spores are destabilized, leading to irreversible loss of viability. Precise control of temperature, pressure, and time ensures complete spore inactivation without excessive nutrient degradation.
Science
Primary Reaction
thermal inactivation of Clostridium botulinum spores
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
neutralslightly cookedearthysteamymildly metallic
Origin & History
Civilization
United States
Era