Development of a noncured pork product with the potential for nonrefrigerated storage

Combinations of four preservatives were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of selected foodborne pathogens. The most effective preservative combinations were then utilized in noncured, restructured pork rolls to compare their antimicrobial activity with sodium nitrite. The study was divided into four sections: (1) the effects of sodium lactate (SL), glucono-delta-lactone (GDL), disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), Nisaplin (NN) and their combinations on the growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7; (2) the effects of SL, GDL, NN and their combinations on the growth of selected foodborne pathogens; (3) the effects of SL, GDL, EDTA and their combinations on the growth of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium and (4) the utilization of SL and GDL in nonrefrigerated and refrigerated, restructured pork rolls.;Independently, NN inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. However, NN did not inhibit the growth of S. typhimurium or Yersinia enterocolitica. In addition, NN did not exhibit synergistic interactions with EDTA, GDL or SL toward the inhibition of S. typhimurium, Y. enterocolitica or E. coli O157:H7. Antagonistic interactions occurred between NN and combinations of SL and GDL when applied to E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus. NN was removed from the study because of its narrow range of activity and antagonistic interactions with GDL and SL.;When utilized at 0.05, 0.372 and 0.745%, EDTA exhibited synergistic interactions with GDL, SL and their combinations toward the inhibition of E. coli O157:H7 and S. typhimurium. However, EDTA's synergistic interaction with SL and GDL was lost when EDTA levels were reduced to 0.0036 and 0.0072%. EDTA was removed from the study because it is only permitted in cooked sausage products at 0.0036% and was not effective at this level.;Combinations of SL and GDL exhibited synergistic interactions that were inhibitory toward the growth of all of the pathogens investigated. The proposed mechanism for the GDL*SL interaction is an equilibrium between GDL and lactic acid (from SL), that increases lactic acid's ability to penetrate the bacterial cell membrane.;Restructured pork rolls were produced with combinations of SL and GDL and compared to two control groups, one control group contained sodium nitrite while the other did not. Sensory analysis indicated that SL and GDL enhanced pork flavor intensity and saltiness and increased the perception of bitter and acid off-flavors in the pork rolls. After 12 days of nonrefrigerated (18 to 22...