Tyndallization for enhanced microbial safety and quality preservation in ready-to-eat hummus dip

• Chickpeas and tahini are highly susceptible to contamination by spore-forming microbes. • Sequential tyndallization achieves ≥5-log reduction of Bacillus cereus spores. • The treatment effectively preserves chickpea texture and tahini viscosity profiles. • Provides a clean-label, non-chemical intervention for safe, shelf-stable hummus. Ready-to-eat hummus dip, composed of chickpeas and tahini, is highly vulnerable to microbial contamination due to its low acidity, high water activity, and raw ingredient load. Soil-borne, spore-forming microorganisms such as Bacillus cereus are of particular concern, with previous outbreaks underscoring the need for effective interventions. This study evaluated tyndallization, a sequential thermal process, for its efficacy in enhancing microbial safety while preserving product quality. Both chickpeas and tahini were inoculated with a baseline level of 10⁸ spores/g of B. cereus. Sequential heating of chickpeas at 85–55–90°C for 30 min per step achieved ≥5.0-log reductions of B. cereus spores, whereas treatment of tahini at 95–55–95°C produced comparable reductions of ≥6.0 logs. In addition to sporicidal efficacy, tyndallization reduced chickpea hardness, maintained the viscosity of tahini, and yielded lighter color profiles consistent with consumer preference. These results demonstrate that tyndallization represents a clean-label, non-chemical approach that simultaneously ensures microbiological safety and improves key physicochemical attributes, offering a scalable strategy for shelf-stable, ready-to-eat hummus production.