FAQ & Technical Glossary
Food Preservation Science: Questions & Terminology
Answers to the most common questions food manufacturers ask about clean-label preservation, natural antimicrobials, and microbiological validation — plus a technical glossary of key scientific terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions from Food Manufacturers
Detailed answers to the technical and regulatory questions we hear most often from R&D teams, food scientists, and procurement managers.
Technical Glossary
Food Preservation Science Terminology
Key scientific and regulatory terms used in food preservation science, clean-label formulation, and microbiological validation.
- Water Activity (aw)
- A thermodynamic measure of the free (unbound) water available in a food system, expressed on a scale of 0 to 1.0. Microorganisms require minimum water activity thresholds to grow: most bacteria require aw ≥ 0.91, most yeasts ≥ 0.88, and most molds ≥ 0.70. Reducing water activity through humectants, drying, or salt is a primary hurdle in multi-barrier preservation strategies.
- pKa (Acid Dissociation Constant)
- The pH at which an organic acid is 50% dissociated into its ionic form. Un-dissociated (neutral) acid molecules are lipophilic and can cross bacterial cell membranes, where they dissociate and acidify the cytoplasm, depleting ATP and inhibiting growth. Effective antimicrobial activity requires the matrix pH to be below the preservative's pKa — a critical parameter in Tecta Bio's formulation design.
- Bacteriocin
- A ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptide produced by bacteria that inhibits or kills closely related bacterial strains. Nisin (from Lactococcus lactis) is the most commercially recognized bacteriocin. Tecta Bio's fermentation-derived systems contain natural bacteriocin fractions that contribute to multi-targeted antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive pathogens and spoilage organisms.
- HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance)
- A numerical scale (0–20) describing the relative affinity of an emulsifier or active ingredient for water versus oil phases. HLB governs where an active compound partitions within a food matrix — critical for antioxidants and antimicrobials that must reach specific interfacial zones to be effective. Tecta Bio engineers formulations with matched HLB values to ensure actives reach their target sites within complex food matrices.
- Log Reduction (log CFU/g)
- A logarithmic measure of pathogen or spoilage organism reduction. A 1-log reduction equals a 90% decrease in microbial population; a 5-log reduction equals a 99.999% decrease. Regulatory standards such as USDA FSIS Category 2 stabilization require demonstrating that pathogen populations do not increase by more than 0.5 log CFU/g over the product's shelf life under defined temperature conditions.
- VBNC (Viable But Non-Culturable)
- A physiological state in which bacteria remain metabolically active and potentially virulent but cannot be detected by standard culture-based methods. VBNC pathogens are a significant food safety concern because they evade conventional microbiological testing. Tecta Bio's ddPCR molecular diagnostics detect VBNC organisms by targeting nucleic acid sequences rather than relying on colony formation.
- Fenton Reaction
- A chemical reaction in which ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) or cuprous copper (Cu²⁺) catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to generate highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (•OH), which initiate and accelerate lipid oxidation chain reactions. Metal chelation — a key mechanism of TectaOx™ FA — interrupts the Fenton reaction by binding pro-oxidant transition metal ions and preventing radical generation.
- Hurdle Technology
- A food preservation strategy that combines multiple sub-lethal preservation factors (hurdles) — such as reduced water activity, lowered pH, modified atmosphere, refrigeration, and antimicrobial compounds — to achieve a cumulative effect that prevents microbial growth without requiring any single factor to be applied at extreme levels. Tecta Bio's multi-component formulations are designed as integrated hurdle systems.
- GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)
- An FDA regulatory designation for food ingredients that are recognized as safe by qualified scientific experts based on a history of safe use or published scientific evidence. GRAS self-affirmation allows manufacturers to use an ingredient without pre-market FDA approval, provided the safety determination is based on adequate scientific data. All Tecta Bio preservation platforms are GRAS self-affirmed.
- MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration)
- The lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that prevents visible growth of a target microorganism under defined conditions. MIC values are matrix-dependent — the same compound may require different concentrations in a high-fat bakery product versus a low-pH deli sauce. Tecta Bio's physicochemical matrix optimization service determines matrix-specific MIC values to ensure effective use levels without over-formulation.
- Psychrotrophic Bacteria
- Bacteria capable of growth at refrigeration temperatures (0–7°C), including pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and spoilage organisms such as Pseudomonas and Brochothrix thermosphacta. Psychrotrophic organisms are the primary spoilage and safety concern in refrigerated RTE products, chilled deli items, and fresh-cut produce — the target applications for TectaGuard™ OA and TectaShield™ FV.
- Carnosic Acid / Carnosol
- Phenolic diterpene compounds found in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) that are the primary active antioxidant constituents in rosemary extract. Carnosic acid and carnosol act as sacrificial antioxidants, donating hydrogen atoms to quench lipid peroxyl radicals and regenerate spent tocopheroxyl radicals. Tecta Bio's TectaOx™ RE uses supercritical CO2-extracted rosemary standardized for carnosic acid and carnosol content.
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