Elsevier

Journal of Food Protection

Volume 71, Issue 7, 1 July 2008, Pages 1386-1392
Journal of Food Protection

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes Growth in Cured Ready-to-Eat Meat Products by Use of Sodium Benzoate and Sodium Diacetate

https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X-71.7.1386Get rights and content
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Abstract

The effect of sodium benzoate (0.08 to 0.25%) in combination with different concentrations of sodium diacetate (0.05 to 0.15%) and NaCl (0.8 to 2%) and different finished product moisture (55 to 75%) on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat products was evaluated using a central composite design over 18 weeks of storage at 4°C. The effects of these factors on time to growth were analyzed using a time-to-failure regression method. All main effects were significant except product moisture, which was significant when included in the two- and three-way interactions (P < 0.05). Sodium benzoate was more effective (lengthening time to growth) when used with increasing concentrations of sodium diacetate and salt and decreasing finished product moisture. The model indicated that low-moisture products, e.g., bologna or wieners, could have time-to-growth values longer than 18 weeks if they were formulated with 0.1% sodium benzoate and 0.1% sodium diacetate. Time to growth in high-moisture products, e.g., ham or cured turkey breast at 75% moisture, was predicted to be much shorter for the same basic formulation (0.1% sodium benzoate and 0.1% sodium diacetate). Consequently, high-moisture ready-to-eat products in which sodium benzoate is limited to 0.1% (current standard for generally recognized as safe) may need additional ingredients to effectively inhibit growth of L. monocytogenes.

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