I need some guidance and help to make sure I'm not missing something.
Product: Sauces hot packed in plastic bottles. (cooked to above 200 for >5 minutes)
Problem: Three sauces ran back to back. (cleaning done in between each one).
Product one: pH 3.92 - lab results fine
Product 2: pH 3.76 - lab results fine
Product 3: pH 4.15 - yeast and lactic acid bacteria count fine, mold - very high
Background:
Air testing for Y/M testing 2 days before the product made - mold at 3.
Previous results have never shown an issue in either product nor air testing. Highest mold shown in the last year on all hot packed products was 10. Product 3 produced 8 times in the last year - all prior had shown no issues in all we test for.
What I've done: Retested product: Both lab samples bad (the one we send and the one we keep). Opened up a bottled product and tested. No mold seen in bottle and tested negative as well.
Currently doing: Sending empty lab bottles we use for testing (maybe they're contaminated) and replaced them with new lab bottles. Taking Y/M air samples. Increasing testing from monthly to bimonthly for six months.
Only one ingredient different in product 3 - CoA came back for mold at <10.
Is there anything else I need to do. Thanks in advance for any help.