EVALUATION OF SODIUM DIACETATE AND ALTA(TM) 2341 ON VIABILITY OF LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES IN TURKEY SLURRIES

The antilisterial activity of sodium diacetate and a commercial shelf- life extender (ALTA(TM) 2341) were monitored at 25-degrees-C in slurri es prepared with turkey breast meat. In slurries prepared without eith er ingredient, populations of Listeria monocytogenes increased about 5 -log10 units in 7 d. The addition of 0.3% diacetate extended the gener ation time (7 h) compared to the control (no food additives; 1.7 h), w hereas 0.5% inhibited the pathogen somewhat (0.4-log10 unit decrease i n 7 d compared to the control). Slurries containing ALTA (0.25, 0.5, o r 0.75%) and 0.3% diacetate extended the lag phase of L. monocytogenes to a greater extent than slurries with 0.3% diacetate alone. In contr ast, 0.5% diacetate in combination with all three levels of ALTA teste d was listericidal (ca. 2-log10 unit decrease after 7 d compared to th e control). These data confirm the efficacy of diacetate for inhibitin g L. monocytogenes in turkey meat and indicate that multiple barriers such as diacetate with ALTA may further lessen the likelihood of food- related listeriosis.