How are peptone manufactured?
Manufacturing of peptone is initiated when protein is broken down in a digestion or hydrolysis process to polypeptides of various lengths and amino acids. The quality of the raw material employed, their storage, and the digestion process parameters determine the quality of the peptones. Raw material must be stored under conditions that avoid growth of spoilage organisms. Fresh meat is chilled stored up to digestion, whereas frozen meat is thawed shortly before processing.
The first step in the manufacturing of peptones is the digestion or hydrolysis of the raw material. In a hydrolysis vessel the raw material is dispersed in water to which the digesting agent is added.
In the second step of the process the digest is centrifuged, so that fat and oil can be removed. Thereafter, the digest is filtered, the liquid concentrated in a vacuum heat exchanger to a syrup which is in the final step spray dried to powder.
Filtration reduces drastically the bioburden, particularly of peptic and tryptic digests that are kept over long periods at about 40 °C. After filtration the bioburden is commonly low and concentration to syrup contributes to the preservation.
The production of high quality peptones requires much more than a standardisation of the digestion process parameters. A total quality management system must be in place with emphasis on raw material specification, tracibility, non conmingly practices hygiene and cleaning and disinfection. Clearly in minimizing the risk of TSE the enzymes employed for digestion must be taken in account. They must be of non bovine origin.
The growth characteristics of peptones varies with the composition of raw materials and the digestion process parameters. Raw materials employed, such as meat or vegetables, vary in the concentration of fermentable carbohydrates. The carbohydrate concentration in the final peptone should be taking into account when assessing the growth characteristics.
