Accelerated Death Kinetics of Aspergillus niger Spores under High-Pressure Carbonation

The death kinetics of Aspergillus niger spores under high-pressure carbonation were investigated with respect to the concentration of dissolved CO(2) (dCO(2)) and treatment temperature. All of the inactivation followed first-order death kinetics. The D value (decimal reduction time, or the time required for a 1-log-cycle reduction in the microbial population) in the saline carbonated at 10 MPa was 0.16 min at 52°C. The log D values were linearly related to the treatment temperature and the concentration of dCO(2), but a significant interaction was observed between them.