SENSORY, MICROBIAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FRESH AEROBICALLY STORED GROUND-BEEF CONTAINING SODIUM LACTATE AND SODIUM PROPIONATE

Hamburger patties with sodium lactate (NaL; 0, 3, or 4%) with or witho ut sodium propionate (NaP; 0.1, or 0.2%) were stored aerobically at 4 degrees C for 0, 1, 2, or 3 days, and evaluated for sensory attributes , Aerobic Plate Counts (APCs), lipid oxidation, pH, and water activity . NaL slowed microbial growth; addition of 0.2% NaP to 3% NaL increase d antimicrobial effects equal to that of 4% NaL. NaL in combination wi th NaP reduced lipid oxidation over control or NaL patties. Patties wi th NaL had higher beef/brothy and beef fat scores and were sweeter, sp ringier, more cohesive, and less crumbly than control patties and addi tion of 0.2% NaP increased juiciness.