Alternative approaches to predicting microbial behaviour: A probabilistic modelling approach for microbial inactivation and a revised web-tool, the Microbial Responses Viewer

An alternative predictive model for microbial inactivation and a novel web-based tool for the application of predictive microbiology are reviewed in this paper. The developed model, based on probabilistic concepts, enabled the identification of minimum processing conditions necessary to obtain a required log reduction, regardless of the underlying inactivation kinetics. The model also provides the probability distribution of the inactivation effect. The revised web-tool, the MRV (Microbial Responses Viewer), provides information concerning growth/no growth boundary conditions and the specific growth rates of queried microorganisms. The MRV enables users to retrieve microbial growth/no growth information intuitively. Using the MRV, food processors can easily identify appropriate food design and processing conditions.