ARS | Publication request: CONTROL OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS GERMINATION AND OUTGROWTH BY BUFFERED SODIUM CITRATE DURING CHILLING OF ROAST BEEF AND INJECTED PORK.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: May 27, 2002
Publication Date: August 7, 2002
Citation: Thippareddi, H., Juneja, V.K., Phebus, R.K., Marsden, J.L., Kastner, C.L. 2002. Control of clostridium perfringens germination and outgrowth by buffered sodium citrate during chilling of roast beef and injected pork. 48th International Congress Meat Science & Technology. 11:968-969.

Technical Abstract: Inhibition of Clostridium perfringens germination and outgrowth by buffered sodium citrate and buffered sodium citrate supplemented with sodium diacetate was evaluated during abusive chilling of roast beef and injected pork. Beef top rounds and pork loins were injected with a brine containing NaCl (7.1%), potato starch (4.17%) and potassium tetra pyrophosphate (1.67%) at 12% pump to yield final concentrations of 0.85, 0.25 and 0.20%, respectively, in the products. The products were ground, mixed with either Ional (buffered sodium citrate) or Ional Plus (buffered sodium citrate pre-mixed with sodium diacetate) at 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0% for each antimicrobial, along with a control. Each of the products were mixed with a three-strain C. perfringens spore cocktail to obtain final spore concentrations of ca. 2.5 log10 spores/g. Chilling of roast beef from 54.4 to 7.2C resulted in 1.51 and 5.27 log10 CFU/g increases in C. perfringens populations when 18 and 21 h exponential chill rates were used, respectively. Chilling injected pork following similar chill rates resulted in 3.70 and 4.41 log10 CFU/g increases in C. perfringens populations. Incorporation of Ional into the roast beef formulation resulted in reductions (0.98, 1.87, 2.47 log10 CFU/g with 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% Ional, respectively) in C. perfringens populations during 18 h of chilling, while more than or equal to 1.0% of Ional Plus was required to achieve similar reductions (0.91 and 2.07 log10 CFU/g with 1.0 and 2.0% Ional Plus, respectively). Ional or Ional Plus at more than or equal to 1.0% concentration was required to reduce C. perfringens populations in roast beef or injected pork chilled from 54.4 to 7.2C in 21 h. Cooling times for roast beef or injected pork products after heat processing can be extended to 21 h by incorporation of the antimicrobial ingredients, Ional or Ional Plus, at more than or equal to 1.0% in the formulation to reduce the potential risk of C. perfringens germination and outgrowth.