DESTRUCTION OF LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES BY HEAT IN GROUND PORK FORMULATED WITH KAPPA-CARRAGEENAN, SODIUM LACTATE AND THE ALGIN CALCIUM MEAT BINDER

Uncured or cured ground pork (15% fat) was inoculated with a composite of nine strains of Listeria monocytogenes (107-108 cfu g-1) and mixed with kappacarrageenan (1%) or sodium lactate (3% of a 60% solution). The meat curing mixture consisted of 2·-5% sodium chloride, 1% dextrose, 0·4% sodium phosphates, 0·0156% sodium nitrite and 0·055% sodium erythorbate. Uncured ground pork was also mixed with the algin/calcium meat binder (0·4% sodium alginate, 0·075% calcium carbonate and 0·6% encapsulated lactic acid I calcium lactate). Portions of the inoculated meat of each treatment were placed into baby food jars (140 ± 5 g/jar), and cooked in a waterbath (65°C) to 62°C final internal temperature. Heating rates were similar among treatments with different additives, and kappa-carrageenan and sodium lactate had no major effect (P > 0·05) on the extent of thermal destruction of L. monocytogenes in uncured ground pork, but kappa-carrageenan lessened the protective effect of the curing mixture against thermal inactivation in cured products. The algin/calcium meat binder did not affect the extent of destruction of L. monocytogenes by heat. © 1992 Academic Press Limited.