Question

Which one of the following is used as a basis for comparing heat sterilisation procedures?

• A. F value
• B. D value
• C. Z value
• D. C value

Hint:

$F_0 = \int 10^{(T - 121.1)/z} \, dt$. For low-acid canned foods, minimum $F_0 \ge 2.52\,\text{min}$ for 12D C. botulinum destruction.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Thermal process validation requires a quantitative measure to compare the total accumulated lethality delivered by various temperature-time profiles.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The $F$ value (specifically $F_0$ at reference temperature $121.1^\circ\text{C}$ and $z = 10^\circ\text{C}$) expresses the equivalent time in minutes required at a reference temperature to achieve the same lethal effect as the actual thermal process.
The $D$ value is the decimal reduction time for a specific microorganism, and the $z$ value is the temperature change required to alter the $D$ value by a factor of 10.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Hence, the $F$ value is used as the universal basis for comparing heat sterilization procedures.