Kemin has announced that the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), will add liquid sodium propionate to the list of approved antimicrobials for use in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) meat and poultry products.
The amended regulation, effective May 6, 2013, will allow RTE meat and poultry manufacturers to use Kemin’s liquid antimicrobial, BactoCEASE, as an alternative to traditional lactates without an in-plant waiver. Until now, Kemin said that lactates have been the primary option for controlling Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can be deadly and proven difficult to control in RTE meat and poultry. Research studies have, according to the company, shown that lactates perform inconsistently in controlling foodborne pathogens in deli meats.
“This is a game-changer for manufacturers of Ready-to-Eat meat and poultry products and consumers who value the quality and safety of those foods,” said Kemin resident and CEO Dr. Chris Nelson. “It’s also very gratifying to Kemin researchers and scientists who dedicate themselves to providing breakthroughs and ingredients that improve the lives of others.”
BactoCEASE, a propionic acid-based antimicrobial system, is said to offer a consistent, cost-effective alternative to help control Listeria monocytogenes, reduce microbial spoilage, extend shelf-life and increase the safety of RTE meat and poultry products. Multiple replications performed are claimed to have shown that BactoCEASE consistently inhibited Listeria in turkey, ham and roast beef for an average of 10-12 weeks depending on the meat application, while meat treated with lactate-diacetate showed greater than 1 log increase in Listeria populations after four weeks in replication one, and after eight weeks in replication two.
“Preservatives are necessary to keep RTE meat and poultry products safe from foodborne pathogens, however, consumers do not want to see large amounts in their products,” said Betsy Blades, director of marketing for the food technologies division of Kemin. “Being able to minimize the rates at which the preservatives are applied and maintain product safety is important to meeting consumer demand.”
