First Assay in Short-term Study for Food Microbiology

We completed our first assay for the short-term study we are doing for a company who makes sauces.  Their customers asked them how long they can store the large totes of various sauces at room temperature in their warehouses before it spoils.  Our task, as undergrad research students, was to set up an experiment for accelerated shelf-life to determine which sauces may be stored at ambient temps.

This is the first time any of us conducted scientific research.  Although we tested samples of sauce over a two week period, it took us longer to complete the study as we had to learn new lab techniques.  We collected data for pH, viscosity, odor & color change, and CFU's for 18 different sauces at three different temperatures:  4, 30, 37.

We are now in the process of writing our first scientific paper, which we will be presenting at a conference in the Fall.  Today we started a second assay on 5 new sauces.  This time we will be collecting data over a four week period.  Eventually, we will be setting up a long-term shelf-life study.

I'll be posting our paper when it is finished.  But we've got a ways to go in turning our basic rough draft into an actual scientific paper.  It's a learning curve.