EFFECT OF PROTECTIVE CULTURES AND PACKAGING FILM PERMEABILITY ON SHELF-LIFE OF SLICED VACUUM-PACKED COOKED HAM

Cooked ham produced with Lactobacillus alimentarius and Staphylococcus xylosus as protective cultures, and control ham were sliced, vacuum-p acked in pouches with oxygen transmission rates (OTR) of 360 and 77 cm (3)/m(2)/24 hr/atm, and stored at 4 degrees C in the dark. The additio n of protective cultures increased (p<0.05) lactic acid bacteria and m icrococci and staphylococci counts in the meats. After cooking, the po pulation of lactic acid bacteria was higher (p<0.05) in hams produced with L. alimentarius than the other treatments. Protective cultures in creased (p<0.05) the shelf-life of cooked ham. The higher the OTR, the lower the shelf-life. Cooked ham with L. alimentarius was acceptable up to 28 days compared to control ham with a shelf-life of 3 weeks. Mi crococci and staphylococci were inhibited in hams with L. alimentarius . Hams with S. xylosus had a better red colour than other treatments. Cooked hams with protective cultures had lower total aerobic bacteria, micrococci and staphylococci and Brochothrix thermosphacta counts tha n control hams which had higher populations of lactic acid bacteria an d lower pseudomonads.