EFFECT OF SORBATES ON MICROBIOLOGICAL GROWTH IN COOKED TURKEY PRODUCTS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Vacuum‐packaged oven‐roasted whole turkey breasts and sliced turkey breast luncheon meat are processed with and without potassium sorbate or sorbic acid. Through 12 days of accelerated storage at 10°C, the use of 0.26% sorbate reduced the psychrotrophic plate count in both products. In the main study conducted under commercial storage conditions of 4°C, the addition of 0.12% sorbic acid to the sliced product extended the time to reach 10 7 cells/g from 15 days in the controls to 42 days in the treated product. In oven roasted whole breasts, psychrotrophic counts in the controls were above 10 8 cells/cm 2 after 14 days at 4°C while the sorbate pumped and dipped breasts were below that level through the 56‐day storage period at 4°C. Organoleptic evaluations indicated no significant differences between control and sorbate‐treated products.