Flash Pasteurization and Revised HACCP Plans Turn Things Around For Odwalla

Last week Odwalla's CEO, Stephen Williamson, announced, "One year ago our company dropped to 10 percent of sales. Today, I am proud to announce that by the end of the year, and with the help of our loyal consumers, we have built our business back to roughly 90 percent." Besides the implementation of an extensive HACCP program, Williamson also credited consumer support of Odwalla's flash pasteurization program as key to the turnaround.

In October 1996, Odwalla Inc., which made its reputation on all-natural fresh juices, was linked to an outbreak of e.coli bacteria in which an infant girl died. In December 1996, the company announced that it would begin "flash pasteurization" for its apple juice and apple juice-based products. In November of this year, the company re-introduced its carrot juice in a flash pasteurized format. Odwalla's product development team determined that flash pasteurization ensures good tasting, nutrient-rich carrot juice.

The move to flash pasteurization was made partly to regain public confidence, but was not entirely out of line with the company's established healthy-foods image. As far as pasteurization technology goes, flash pasteurization was Odwalla's best choice.

Juice makers have classically marketed juice in two different forms-completely unpasteurized, or "raw" juice and ultra-pasteurized, or sterile juice. A company like Odwalla would not want to ultra-pasteurize their juice because of possible changes to the flavor.

Flash pasteurization is considered to be a middle ground between raw and ultra-pasteurized. The process quickly heats the juice to a specific temperature, holds it there for a few seconds then quickly cools it, affecting the taste less than the longer process of traditional pasteurization. Pasteur's original process treated milk with heat (63°C for 30 min) to kill bacteria. Flash pasteurization involves exposure of milk and other liquid products to at least 72°C (approx. 162°F) for at least 15 seconds, with rapid cooling.

Some products are actually sterilized before they are sold to the public. Most of the fruit juice sold on store shelves is produced this way. These products have relatively unlimited shelf life without refrigeration. However, the time/temperature combination required to kill 100 percent of bacteria also destroys some of the flavor components in the juice.

Flash pasteurization keeps to a minimum the amount of flavor-degradation found in ultra-pasteurized product. Such a product will be free of pathogens with an extended shelf life under refrigeration.

For Odwalla, flash pasteurization represents one part of its revised HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Procedures) program, which also includes the following:

• Pathogen control by multiple lines of defense, including neutral detergent/cull/hypochlorite sanitation; repeat the process if necessary; use of low-pH detergent followed by hypochlorite.
• Raw fruit cleaning, sanitizing and sampling for pathogens, and holding until it clears the pathogen test.
• Additional pathogen testing on the controlling process.
• Additional control points to ensure accurate use of concentrations and spray patterns of detergent and sanitizers.
• QA audits doubled including manager approval and counter measure re-audit.
• QA audits include review of operating paperwork.

"Implementing an extensive HAACP program under the guidance of the nation's leading experts has been a prime focus for Odwalla,'' said Williamson. "We now have the most comprehensive quality control system in the industry.''

"Odwalla's safety program is based on scientific validation of safety standards and processes by outside laboratories,'' said Dr. Ranzell "Nick'' Nickelson, a leading microbiologist and Odwalla board member. "Their Dinuba facility is a state-of-the-art operation and leads the industry in quality control.''

For more information: Odwalla, Inc., 120 Stone Pine Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

By Pam Ahlberg