Heat-resistance characteristics of ascospores of Eurotium chevalieri isolated from apricot juice

A heat-resistant fungus was isolated from aseptically packaged apricot pulp. The fungus was identified as Eurotium chevalieri. Heat resistance of the fungus was studied at four different temperatures (70, 75, 80 and 83 degrees C) after activation of its ascospores for 30 min at 70 degrees C. D70, D75, D80 and D83 values of ascospores of Eurotium chevalieri were estimated by linear regression (log-survival vs. heating time) as 118.58, 34.15, 5.50 and 3.77 min, respectively. The z-value was determined in the same way (regression of log-D values vs. heating temp.) and was found as 8.23 degrees C.