Lactic acid and trisodium phosphate use on lamb breasts as a means of microbial reduction

Abstract

The effectiveness of lactic acid and trisodium crographics. phosphate (TSP) in reducing microbial contamination was evaluated both alone and combined by determining the reduction of Escherichia coli and aerobic plate counts (APCs). Breasts removed from freshly slaughtered lamb carcasses were inoculated with a lamb fecal paste. Lamb breasts then were cleaned with a water rinse for 90 sec followed by sanitizing with either a 9-sec [] 2% lactic acid spray wash, a 60-sec [] 12% TSP dip or a combined treatment of the lactic acid spray followed by the TSP dip. Log[] deductions per cm o total bacterial numbers or E. coli were determined using APC or E. coli Petrifilm[] plates (3M, St. Paul, MN), respectively. Lactic acid sanitizing reduced E. coli and APCS by 2 Treatment with TSP alone caused a 1.8-1og[] reduction in E. coli and a 1.6 log[] . 0 7-log[] reduction in APCS. Combined reductions by the lactic acid spray followed b the TSP dip were 1.8 and 1.5 log[] for E. coli and APCS, respectively. There was no difference in the effectiveness of the three treatment effects (lactic acid, TSP, and lactic acid/TSP) for reducing levels of E. coli. In addition, there was no statistical difference between reductions in APCS by lactic acid treatment or lactic acid/Tsp treatment. However, both of these treatments were more effective than treatment with TSP alone in the reduction of APCS.