Prediction of Listeria monocytogenes Growth Kinetics in Sausages Formulated with Antimicrobials as a Function of Temperature and Concentrations

Abstract

This Study was conducted to develop a model to describe the effect of antimicrobials [potassium sorbate (PS), potassium lactate (PL), and combined PL and sodium diacetate (SDA, PLSDA)] oil the growth parameters of Listeria monocytogenes such as specific growth rate (SGR) and lag phase periods (LT) in air-dried raw sausages as a function of storage temperature (4, 10, 16, and 25 degrees C). Results showed that the SGR of L. monocytogenes was dependent oil the storage temperature and level of antimicrobials used. The most effective treatment was the 4% PLSDA, followed by the 2% PLSDA and 4% PL and 0.2% PS exhibited the least antimicrobial effect. Increased growth rates were observed with increasing storage temperatures from 4 to 25 degrees C. The growth data were fitted with a Gompertz equation to determine the SGR and LT of the L. monocytogenes. Six polynomial models were developed for the SGR and LT to evaluate the effect of PS (0.1, 0.2%) and PL (2, 4%) alone and PLSDA (2, 4%) on the growth kinetics of L. monocytogenes from 4 to 25 degrees C.