Abstract: There is presented a time-temperature indicator method for determining lelity of high-temperature food processing using a capsule comprising a cylindrical tube having a closed end and an open end, a cap for connection to and removal from the open end to close and open the tube, and a solution in the tube which is reactive to accumulated temperature and time exposure to fluoresce proportionally to the accumulated temperature and time exposure. There is further presented a time-temperature indicator system including the above capsule, a pipetting device for removing the solution from the capsule, and a spectrofluorometer for indicating the fluorescence of the solution, said fluorescence being directly correlatable to the time-temperature integral F.sub.0 by linear regression. There is still further presented methods for determining when food processed under high temperature conditions attains a selected low level of microbial population, the methods utilizing, respectively, the above systems.

Abstract: There is presented an indicator capsule for determining temperature and t exposure required for food processing comprising a cylindrical tube having a closed end and an open end, a cap for connection to and removal from the open end to close and open the tube, and a solution in the tube which is reactive to accumulated temperature and time exposure to fluoresce proportionally to the accumulated temperature and time exposure. There is further presented an indicator system for determining temperature and time exposure required for food processing including the above capsule, a pipetting device for removing the solution from the capsule, and a spectrofluorometer for indicating the fluorescence of the solution. There is still further presented an indicator capsule wherein the solution comprises bacterial spores; a system including the capsule, a pipetting device, and an agar plate for providing a count of the surviving spores to, in turn, provide an indication of the aggregate thermal effect on the solution.

Abstract: There is presented a time-temperature indicator capsule comprising a cyliical tube having a closed end and an open end, a cap for connection to and removal from the open end to close and open the tube, and a solution in the tube which is reactive to accumulated temperature and time exposure. There is presented an indicator capsule wherein the solution comprises bacterial spores; a system including the capsule, a pipetting device, and an agar plate for providing a count of the surviving spores to, in turn, provide an indication of the aggregate thermal effect on the solution. There is still further presented methods for determining when food processed under high temperature conditions attains a selected low level of microbial population, the methods utilizing, respectively, the above systems.