PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an innovative method for sterilizing or inactivating heat-resistant spore-forming bacteria that can sterilize and inactivate heat-resistant bacteria having decreased heat-resistance and can be achieved by simple equipment to exhibit sure and sufficient sterilization effect, by decreasing the heat resistance of the heat-resistant spore-forming bacteria by effect of decompression treatment in high pressure treatment and performing heat-sterilization treatment after the elapse of a predetermined standing time after the decompression.SOLUTION: In a method for sterilizing or inactivating heat-resistant spore-forming bacteria, decompression treatment as pretreatment before heat sterilization treatment is performed where high pressure treatment of adding a hydrostatic pressure of 50 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less to an object at a temperature condition of 50°C or less is performed and then the pressure is reduced, and then the object having been subjected to the decompression treatment after the elapse of a predetermined standing time after causing a hydrostatic pressure change due to the decompression.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4COPYRIGHT: (C)2016,JPO&INPIT【課題】高圧処理における減圧処理の効果によって耐熱性芽胞菌の耐熱性を低下させ、その減圧後所定の放置時間を経過した後加熱殺菌処理を行うことで、耐熱性の低下した耐熱性菌を殺菌並びに不活化させることができ、簡易な設備で実現可能で確実にして十分な殺菌効果を発揮する画期的な耐熱性芽胞菌の殺菌又は不活化処理方法を提供すること。【解決手段】加熱殺菌処理の前処理として、50℃以下の温度条件下で50MPa以上200MPa以下の静水圧を対象物に加える高圧処理を施し減圧する減圧処理を施した後、この減圧による静水圧変動が生じた後所定の放置時間が経過した後に、前記減圧処理を施した対象物に、加熱殺菌処理を施す耐熱性芽胞菌の殺菌又は不活化処理方法。【選択図】図4
