MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETY OF COOKED BEEF ROASTS TREATED WITH LACTATE, MONOLAURIN OR GLUCONATE

Beef roasts were pumped with sodium lactate, glycerol monolaurin or so dium gluconate and inoculated with Clostridium sporogenes and Listeria monocytogenes either internally or on external (surface) locations. M icrobiological evaluations were conducted during simulated wholesale ( 2-degrees-C), retail (7-degrees-C) and consumer storage (10-degrees-C) and after simulated mishandling (25-degrees-C). Sodium lactate result ed in effective inhibition of pathogens at concentrations up to 3.5%. Glycerol monolaurin was less effective than sodium lactate. Sodium glu conate did not provide significant control of these pathogens. No chem ical or quality effects of these compounds occurred on the beef roasts except a lower pH and increased purge caused by monolaurin.