Microbiological Safety of Cooked Beef Roasts Treated with Lactate, Monolaurin or Gluconate

ABSTRACT Beef roasts were pumped with sodium lactate, glycerol monolaurin or sodium gluconate and inoculated with Clostridium sporogenes and Listeria monocytogenes either internally or on external (surface) locations. Microbiological evaluations were conducted during simulated wholesale (2°C), retail (7°C) and consumer storage (10°C) and after simulated mishandling (25°C). Sodium lactate resulted in effective inhibition of pathogens at concentrations up to 3.5%. Glycerol monolaurin was less effective than sodium lactate. Sodium gluconate did not provide significant control of these pathogens. No chemical or quality effects of these compounds occurred on the beef roasts except a lower pH and increased purge caused by monolaurin.