PRESERVATIVE EFFECT OF COMBINED PROPIONIC AND ASCORBIC ACIDS ON PORK MEAT STORED AT 25-DEGREES-C

A potential method for improving the bacteriological quality of pork m eat stored at the ambient temperatures found in developing countries h as been studied. Raw minced pork (longissimus dorsi muscle) was treate d with propionic acid alone and propionic and ascorbic acid in combina tion at concentrations that had a preservative effect, restricting pop ulations of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria well below thresholds nec essary for spoilage or damage to public health. A water-treated sample was used as the control. The 0.306 mol/liter propionic-0.043 mol/lite r ascorbic acid combination reduced bacterial numbers for up to 8 days at 25 +/- 1 degrees C, without adversely affecting the color or odor of the meat. Minced pork treated with solutions of propionic acid at 0 .136 and 0.410 mol/liter showed surface bleaching and an increase in l ipid oxidation volatiles relative to the water-treated control sample.