BLANCHING
Thermal Processing (Heat)
Blanching
PrerequisiteAlso: scalding · steam blanch · water blanch
Brief immersion in hot water or steam (typically 75–95°C) to inactivate enzymes, reduce microbial load, soften tissue, or set color. Usually a pre-treatment, not a kill step.
Typical Hazards
- BBiologicalInadequate temperature failing to reduce surface microbes; cross-contamination of cool-down water
- CChemicalWater-quality / sanitizer carryover into cool-down
- PPhysicalBelt / chain fragments
Typical Controls
- Temperature/time recording at blanch and cool-down stages
- Cool-down water quality and sanitizer residual
- Belt inspection schedule
Regulatory Citations
2 cross-references across 1 documents