Conversion of ecogram data to a mathematical equation of four dimensions

Abstract Mathematical modelling procedures were applied to previously published data presented in the form of ecograms. The information contained in the ecograms to express toxicity of Clostridium botulinum was transformed into a simple mathematical equation of the form: Y = β o [1 − e −β 1 (T − T o )] where Y = % toxicity; β 0 , β 1 , T 0 = regression coefficients as functions of NaCl and NaNO 2 concentrations; and T = storage temperature. This equation defined a new characteristic temperature, T 0 , which was not indicated in the original ecograms. T 0 is the temperature below which no toxin is produced by Clostridium botulinum . It was proposed that the traditional way of studying food microbiology would benefit by the use of predictive modelling. Suggestions were made for other applications of mathematical modelling to problems of the preservation and safety of foods.