Project Number: 6612-41420-015-04
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 30, 2005
End Date: Sep 30, 2008

Objective:
To determine the effect of commonly used marinade ingredients applied in raw product or as a post cook dip on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on turkey deli loaves, ham deli loaves and beef frankfurters. Furthermore, to measure the effect such treatments have on consumer acceptability of the fully cooked products.

Approach:
Commonly used marinade ingredients will be applied alone and in combination as additions to raw product formulation or as post cook dip. Marinade treatments for formulation will include: a) 1. 5% sodium chloride and 0.45% sodium tripolyphosphate, b) 2% sodium lactate, c) 2% potassium lactate, d) 0.75% sodium citrate and e) 2% sodium lactate with 0.25% sodium diacetate. Marinades will be added to product during simulated commercial formulation and production. Sectioned product will be inoculated with a cocktail of L. monocytogenes strains. Product will be held at a refrigerated temperature or an abuse temperature; samples will be collected periodically and quantitatively cultured for L. monocytogenes. Paired uninoculated samples will be used for consumer acceptability measurements including color, moisture pickup, pH, cook loss, texture and sensory evaluation. A similar plan will be followed for the post cook application with the following treatments: a) 3.6% sodium lactate, b) 3.6% potassium lactate, c) 0.75% sodium citrate, d) 3.6% sodium lactate with 0.25% sodium diacetate and e) 3.6% sodium lactate, 3.6% potassium lactate and 0.25% sodium diacetate as a dip. In this study, treatments will be applied after inoculation and samples will be quantitatively cultured for L. monocytogenes during refrigerated storage.