The United States Code of Federal Regulations defines
commercial sterility as ‘‘The condition achieved by application of
heat, chemical sterilant(s), or other appropriate treatment that
renders the equipment and containers free of viable microorganisms
having public health significance, as well as microorganisms of
nonhealth significance, capable of reproducing in the food under
normal nonrefrigerated conditions of storage and distribution’’ (US
CFR21, 2009). However, there are losses of food product quality
during thermal processing and storage.