A Rapid Gas Chromatographic Method for the Identification of Sporeformers and Nonsporeformers in Swollen Cans of Low‐Acid Foods

摘要

ABSTRACTA rapid gas‐liquid chromatographic method for the identification of sporeformers and nonsporeformers as the probable cause of swollen cans of low‐acid foods was developed and evaluated. Cans of five types of food were inoculated with cultures of seven sporeforming organisms and three nonsporeformers. The supernatant from the can content was assayed on two packed columns designed for the assay of aqueous solutions of volatile free acids using flame ionization detectors. A statistical discriminant analysis was conducted on selected peak areas. Overall, 88 of 120 cans were correctly identified in the standard data set and 80 of 110 cans analyzed as unknowns. Sporeformers were detected in 62 of 30 cans inoculated with three mixtures of sporeformers and nonsporeform