Flat sour contamination source: What is the immediate, most common source of flat sour bacteria in canneries?

Introduction / Context:
Flat sour spoilage, characterized by acid development without gas, is typically caused by thermophilic Bacillus species. Preventing this defect depends on controlling the primary entry and survival points for spores in the cannery.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Organisms: Bacillus coagulans, B. stearothermophilus, and related thermophiles.
• Question: identify the immediate, most common source in plants.
• Context: repeated, low-level contamination leading to sporadic lots.

Concept / Approach:
Although spores exist in raw materials and soil, the immediate recurring source within a factory is often biofilm and residue harbored in hard-to-clean plant equipment (filler valves, heat exchangers, pipelines). These niches seed successive batches, especially when warm hold times allow growth before retorting, increasing the risk of survival and flat sour development.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Consider all potential reservoirs (soil, ingredients, equipment).Prioritize the source repeatedly contacting product pre-retort: equipment surfaces.Select plant equipment as the immediate source needing sanitation upgrades.

Verification / Alternative check:
HACCP plans and sanitation audits consistently target equipment dead-legs and warm zones to break the contamination cycle.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Sugar/Starch/Spice: Possible contributors but less consistently the immediate, dominant source.
• Soil: Upstream reservoir, not typically the persistent immediate source in a modern plant.

Common Pitfalls:
Focusing solely on ingredient quality while neglecting CIP validation and equipment design that prevents biofilm harborage.

Final Answer:
Plant equipment.