Though the baking industry has a very safe record for the production of shelf-stable food products, Salmonella continues to be a pathogen of concern. In fact, due to its ability to survive in low-moisture food products for a long period of time, it was the cause of 94 percent of low-water activity food product recalls in the U.S. from 2007 to 2012.
Like other pathogens, Salmonella can be introduced into bakery products through a wide range of raw ingredients, through various environmental factors, and also due to human error. Presence of the pathogen, coupled with improper baking, could create a serious public health risk, undermine consumer confidence in affected products, and diminish market demand. That’s why kill-step validation (KSV) can play such an important role in the industry.