Bacteria contamination inside a thermos bottle
Let's say that I have a pot of boiling stew.
I then pour this, still boiling, inside a thermos bottle, and close the lid right away.
Everything inside the bottle should be sterile at this point, due to the high temperature which will be maintained for over an hour, correct?
Let's say then that I let this sit for maybe 24h.
In this time frame, the temperature of the stew will fall in the danger zone between 60°C and 5°C, and stay there for hours and hours.
Usually, that would mean that the meat in the stew is no longer fit for consumption.
However, given that the content of the bottle was earlier sterile, would it still be safe?
Can bacteria contaminate the content trough the lid?
food-safety
New contributor
add a comment |
Let's say that I have a pot of boiling stew.
I then pour this, still boiling, inside a thermos bottle, and close the lid right away.
Everything inside the bottle should be sterile at this point, due to the high temperature which will be maintained for over an hour, correct?
Let's say then that I let this sit for maybe 24h.
In this time frame, the temperature of the stew will fall in the danger zone between 60°C and 5°C, and stay there for hours and hours.
Usually, that would mean that the meat in the stew is no longer fit for consumption.
However, given that the content of the bottle was earlier sterile, would it still be safe?
Can bacteria contaminate the content trough the lid?
food-safety
New contributor
add a comment |
Let's say that I have a pot of boiling stew.
I then pour this, still boiling, inside a thermos bottle, and close the lid right away.
Everything inside the bottle should be sterile at this point, due to the high temperature which will be maintained for over an hour, correct?
Let's say then that I let this sit for maybe 24h.
In this time frame, the temperature of the stew will fall in the danger zone between 60°C and 5°C, and stay there for hours and hours.
Usually, that would mean that the meat in the stew is no longer fit for consumption.
However, given that the content of the bottle was earlier sterile, would it still be safe?
Can bacteria contaminate the content trough the lid?
food-safety
New contributor
Let's say that I have a pot of boiling stew.
I then pour this, still boiling, inside a thermos bottle, and close the lid right away.
Everything inside the bottle should be sterile at this point, due to the high temperature which will be maintained for over an hour, correct?
Let's say then that I let this sit for maybe 24h.
In this time frame, the temperature of the stew will fall in the danger zone between 60°C and 5°C, and stay there for hours and hours.
Usually, that would mean that the meat in the stew is no longer fit for consumption.
However, given that the content of the bottle was earlier sterile, would it still be safe?
Can bacteria contaminate the content trough the lid?
food-safety
food-safety
New contributor
New contributor
New contributor
asked 15 hours ago
user73521user73521
161
161
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
The assumption that it was sterile is wrong. Standard cooking leads to a reduction of bacteria to about log6, so 1 in 100 000 survives. Afterwards, these bacteria multiply exponentially in your soup, potentially achieving levels at which people can get sick.
Your logic will apply to canning. But it is known that the "fill the cooked food into an airtight closing container" is an unsafe canning method even for high acid foods, and a thermos bottle is not guaranteed to be closed airtight. If you want to can soup, you have to follow safe canning procedures, which include a restriction of the ingredients you can use, a restriction in the liquid/solid ratio, the prescription of proper containers, and a sufficiently long sterilization step in a pressure canner.
What makes this 1 in 100000 of bacteria able to survive in 100°C water for extended periods of time?
– Michael
10 hours ago
1
@Michael Humans shed about a million particles of biological material per hour, and many of those will be colonized by bacteria. In an ordinary kitchen environment, some of that material will have ended up in the thermos without ever having been in the stew.
– alephzero
9 hours ago
2
(a) A 6 log reduction means 1 in 1 000 000 survives. (b) A 6 log reduction of vegetative organisms is often called pasteurisation [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization ] (c) safe storage of low acid foods in the absence of air requires killling spores. See "Introduction for Consumers: A Snapshot" on page 3 of "The Bad Bug Book" [fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/…
– user20637
9 hours ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "49"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
user73521 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fcooking.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f96941%2fbacteria-contamination-inside-a-thermos-bottle%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The assumption that it was sterile is wrong. Standard cooking leads to a reduction of bacteria to about log6, so 1 in 100 000 survives. Afterwards, these bacteria multiply exponentially in your soup, potentially achieving levels at which people can get sick.
Your logic will apply to canning. But it is known that the "fill the cooked food into an airtight closing container" is an unsafe canning method even for high acid foods, and a thermos bottle is not guaranteed to be closed airtight. If you want to can soup, you have to follow safe canning procedures, which include a restriction of the ingredients you can use, a restriction in the liquid/solid ratio, the prescription of proper containers, and a sufficiently long sterilization step in a pressure canner.
What makes this 1 in 100000 of bacteria able to survive in 100°C water for extended periods of time?
– Michael
10 hours ago
1
@Michael Humans shed about a million particles of biological material per hour, and many of those will be colonized by bacteria. In an ordinary kitchen environment, some of that material will have ended up in the thermos without ever having been in the stew.
– alephzero
9 hours ago
2
(a) A 6 log reduction means 1 in 1 000 000 survives. (b) A 6 log reduction of vegetative organisms is often called pasteurisation [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization ] (c) safe storage of low acid foods in the absence of air requires killling spores. See "Introduction for Consumers: A Snapshot" on page 3 of "The Bad Bug Book" [fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/…
– user20637
9 hours ago
add a comment |
The assumption that it was sterile is wrong. Standard cooking leads to a reduction of bacteria to about log6, so 1 in 100 000 survives. Afterwards, these bacteria multiply exponentially in your soup, potentially achieving levels at which people can get sick.
Your logic will apply to canning. But it is known that the "fill the cooked food into an airtight closing container" is an unsafe canning method even for high acid foods, and a thermos bottle is not guaranteed to be closed airtight. If you want to can soup, you have to follow safe canning procedures, which include a restriction of the ingredients you can use, a restriction in the liquid/solid ratio, the prescription of proper containers, and a sufficiently long sterilization step in a pressure canner.
What makes this 1 in 100000 of bacteria able to survive in 100°C water for extended periods of time?
– Michael
10 hours ago
1
@Michael Humans shed about a million particles of biological material per hour, and many of those will be colonized by bacteria. In an ordinary kitchen environment, some of that material will have ended up in the thermos without ever having been in the stew.
– alephzero
9 hours ago
2
(a) A 6 log reduction means 1 in 1 000 000 survives. (b) A 6 log reduction of vegetative organisms is often called pasteurisation [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization ] (c) safe storage of low acid foods in the absence of air requires killling spores. See "Introduction for Consumers: A Snapshot" on page 3 of "The Bad Bug Book" [fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/…
– user20637
9 hours ago
add a comment |
The assumption that it was sterile is wrong. Standard cooking leads to a reduction of bacteria to about log6, so 1 in 100 000 survives. Afterwards, these bacteria multiply exponentially in your soup, potentially achieving levels at which people can get sick.
Your logic will apply to canning. But it is known that the "fill the cooked food into an airtight closing container" is an unsafe canning method even for high acid foods, and a thermos bottle is not guaranteed to be closed airtight. If you want to can soup, you have to follow safe canning procedures, which include a restriction of the ingredients you can use, a restriction in the liquid/solid ratio, the prescription of proper containers, and a sufficiently long sterilization step in a pressure canner.
The assumption that it was sterile is wrong. Standard cooking leads to a reduction of bacteria to about log6, so 1 in 100 000 survives. Afterwards, these bacteria multiply exponentially in your soup, potentially achieving levels at which people can get sick.
Your logic will apply to canning. But it is known that the "fill the cooked food into an airtight closing container" is an unsafe canning method even for high acid foods, and a thermos bottle is not guaranteed to be closed airtight. If you want to can soup, you have to follow safe canning procedures, which include a restriction of the ingredients you can use, a restriction in the liquid/solid ratio, the prescription of proper containers, and a sufficiently long sterilization step in a pressure canner.
answered 14 hours ago
rumtscho♦rumtscho
82.5k28191357
82.5k28191357
What makes this 1 in 100000 of bacteria able to survive in 100°C water for extended periods of time?
– Michael
10 hours ago
1
@Michael Humans shed about a million particles of biological material per hour, and many of those will be colonized by bacteria. In an ordinary kitchen environment, some of that material will have ended up in the thermos without ever having been in the stew.
– alephzero
9 hours ago
2
(a) A 6 log reduction means 1 in 1 000 000 survives. (b) A 6 log reduction of vegetative organisms is often called pasteurisation [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization ] (c) safe storage of low acid foods in the absence of air requires killling spores. See "Introduction for Consumers: A Snapshot" on page 3 of "The Bad Bug Book" [fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/…
– user20637
9 hours ago
add a comment |
What makes this 1 in 100000 of bacteria able to survive in 100°C water for extended periods of time?
– Michael
10 hours ago
1
@Michael Humans shed about a million particles of biological material per hour, and many of those will be colonized by bacteria. In an ordinary kitchen environment, some of that material will have ended up in the thermos without ever having been in the stew.
– alephzero
9 hours ago
2
(a) A 6 log reduction means 1 in 1 000 000 survives. (b) A 6 log reduction of vegetative organisms is often called pasteurisation [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization ] (c) safe storage of low acid foods in the absence of air requires killling spores. See "Introduction for Consumers: A Snapshot" on page 3 of "The Bad Bug Book" [fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/…
– user20637
9 hours ago
What makes this 1 in 100000 of bacteria able to survive in 100°C water for extended periods of time?
– Michael
10 hours ago
What makes this 1 in 100000 of bacteria able to survive in 100°C water for extended periods of time?
– Michael
10 hours ago
1
1
@Michael Humans shed about a million particles of biological material per hour, and many of those will be colonized by bacteria. In an ordinary kitchen environment, some of that material will have ended up in the thermos without ever having been in the stew.
– alephzero
9 hours ago
@Michael Humans shed about a million particles of biological material per hour, and many of those will be colonized by bacteria. In an ordinary kitchen environment, some of that material will have ended up in the thermos without ever having been in the stew.
– alephzero
9 hours ago
2
2
(a) A 6 log reduction means 1 in 1 000 000 survives. (b) A 6 log reduction of vegetative organisms is often called pasteurisation [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization ] (c) safe storage of low acid foods in the absence of air requires killling spores. See "Introduction for Consumers: A Snapshot" on page 3 of "The Bad Bug Book" [fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/…
– user20637
9 hours ago
(a) A 6 log reduction means 1 in 1 000 000 survives. (b) A 6 log reduction of vegetative organisms is often called pasteurisation [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization ] (c) safe storage of low acid foods in the absence of air requires killling spores. See "Introduction for Consumers: A Snapshot" on page 3 of "The Bad Bug Book" [fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/…
– user20637
9 hours ago
add a comment |
user73521 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user73521 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user73521 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user73521 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Seasoned Advice!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fcooking.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f96941%2fbacteria-contamination-inside-a-thermos-bottle%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown