The use of sodium lactate as an antimicrobial agent in pork

Sodium lactate (Na-L) was studied for use as an antimicrobial spray on pre-rigor (PRR) and post-rigor (PGR) pork carcasses and as a direct additive to boneless pork for sausage production. Na-L was applied by spraying the carcass immediately post slaughter and/or adding it to the boneless meat. Spraying PGR carcasses gave as much as log 1.3 reduction in aerobic plate count (ARC), but APC's increased on two of the three PRR carcasses that were sprayed. The third PRR carcass had a 0.3 log reduction in APC, Sausage made from the PGR carcasses had lower APC's than sausage from PRR carcasses through 8 days of display (2°C). Generally, the sausage samples that had the lower APC's during the ten-day display period had 3% Na-L added directly to the boneless pork.

Hunter Color Difference Meter "L" values showed the Na-L had a darkening effect on the sausage. Sausage from PGR pork had lower "L" values than that from PRR pork. Hunter "a" values showed greater retention of redness in sausage made from PGR pork with 3% Na-L only, although changes were not significantly different. Overall, Na-L had no significant effect on pork meat color.