Thermal sterilisation is aimed at eliminating the risk of food poisoning and, when used in conjunction with aseptic filling, at achieving extended product storage life under ambient conditions.

Whereas pasteurisation destroys vegetative micro-organisms, sterilisation destroys both vegetative micro-organisms and relevant bacterial spores.

This document presents guidelines on the microbiologically safe continuous sterilisation of liquid products.

The technique of Ohmic heating was not considered in this paper but may be included in an update being prepared. See Doc 1 for guidelines on continuous pasteurisation of liquid foods.