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Abstract

A method is provided for simulating and modeling the presence and growth of a microbe, including a pathogen or spoilage organism, in a food product through a food supply chain. The food supply chain includes a plurality of major food handling steps, a plurality of food processing steps within each of the major food handling steps and a plurality of parameters relating to the food supply chain and the microbe. The method is carried out in a digital processor and comprising the steps of: (a) providing a set of initial values for the major food handling steps in a data storage area; (b) providing a set of initial values for the food processing steps in a data storage area; (c) providing a set of initial values for the parameters in the data storage area; (d) providing a set of equations that relate at least two of the parameters to each other; (e) varying one or more of the initial values of the major food handling steps, the food processing steps or the parameters; (f) executing a simulation routine, by the digital processor, using the set of equations to determine a second set of values for the parameters resulting from varying one or more of the initial values of the major food handling steps, the food processing steps or the parameters; (g) storing the second set of values in the data storage area; and (h) displaying one or more of the second set of values.

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First Claim