What does the sous-vide pasteurization calculator estimate?

It estimates hold time after the food core has already reached the bath temperature, using a simplified D-value and z-value model for the selected pathogen and log reduction.

Does the hold time include heat-up time?

No. The result does not include the time needed for a piece of food to heat through. Thickness, shape, starting temperature, bagging, circulation, and bath accuracy can add substantial time.

Can I use this as a food-safety plan?

No. It is an educational model only. Commercial, high-risk, reduced-oxygen, refrigerated, cooled, or stored foods need validated procedures and applicable FDA, USDA, state, or local guidance.

Why does the result change so quickly with temperature?

Thermal death models use a z-value to describe how the D-value changes with temperature. A small bath-temperature change can greatly shorten or lengthen the modeled hold time.

What else matters besides pathogen reduction?

Real food safety also depends on product composition, fat, salt, pH, water activity, initial contamination, cooling, storage, sanitation, and whether the food is vacuum packed or held under reduced oxygen.

Sous Vide Pasteurization Calculator

Estimate modeled hold time at core temperature for a selected bath temperature, target log reduction, and pathogen.

Last reviewed: June 2026

Built and maintained by Shannon Patterson · Last updated June 2026

Bath Temperature

Â°C

140.0 Â°F

Target Log Reduction

Regulatory lethality targets vary by food and process. Use validated guidance for real food-safety plans.

Pathogen

Required Hold Time at Core Temperature

21.79 min

21 min 47 s

D-value at Bath Temp

3.6319 min

Safety Assessment

How the Sous Vide Pasteurization Calculator Works

This calculator estimates the hold time needed after the food core has reached the bath temperature. It uses a simplified D-value and z-value model for the selected pathogen and target log reduction. It does not calculate heat-up time from thickness, frozen state, shape, packaging, circulation, or starting temperature.

Formula Used

For the selected pathogen, the calculator starts with a reference D-value, reference temperature, and z-value. It estimates D(T) = D_ref x 10^((T_ref - bath temperature) / z). Required hold time is target log reduction x D(T).

With the default 60°C bath, 6-log target, and Listeria model, D(T) is about 3.6319 minutes and the modeled hold time is about 21.79 minutes after the core is at 60°C.

What This Model Leaves Out

Actual pasteurization planning needs more than a hold-time equation. Food thickness and shape affect heat-up time. Fat, salt, water activity, acidity, initial contamination, thermometer accuracy, water circulation, bag contact, cooling rate, storage temperature, and reduced-oxygen packaging controls can change the safety case.

Vacuum-sealed or reduced-oxygen sous-vide foods also raise storage and cooling concerns. Pasteurization reduces vegetative pathogens; it is not sterilization, and it does not make food shelf-stable at room temperature.

Source Notes

USDA FSIS's 2021 Cooking Guideline for Meat and Poultry Products (Revised Appendix A) explains regulatory lethality support for meat and poultry processes. FDA's 2022 Food Code is the current model code for retail and food-service safety, including reduced-oxygen packaging concepts relevant to sous-vide operations.

Safe Use of This Page

Use this page to understand how temperature, D-values, z-values, and log reduction interact. For real cooking decisions, compare the output with validated tables or official guidance for the exact food, thickness, packaging, cooling, and storage conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The time shown starts after the food core has reached the selected bath temperature. Heating through can add substantial time.

No. Pasteurization is not sterilization, and reduced-oxygen foods need strict cooling, refrigeration, labeling, and storage controls.

No. Use validated guidance and applicable regulations for commercial service, high-risk foods, cooled foods, stored foods, or any formal food-safety plan.