INFLUENCE OF FAT CONTENT AND PRESERVATIVES ON THE BEHAVIOR OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN BEAKER SAUSAGE

Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A in pork liver sausage containing 22–67% fat, and antilisterial activities of sodium lactate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium propionate were studied during storage at 4C and 10C. Commercial pork liver sausage batter (22% fat), alone and with additions of lard (15, 30, and 45% by weight) were tested. Concentrations of 1.8% sodium lactate, 0.1% sorbate as the acid or the potassium salt, and 0.2% sodium propionate were tested in heat sterilized sausage inoculated with a 24 h culture of the organism (10⁴ CFU/g). Fat content alone caused small reductions in cell numbers by the end of the storage periods: from log CFU/g of 9.9 to 9.4 after 14 days at 10C, and from 7.3 to 6.5 after 50 days at 4C in the basic sausage formulation and with 45% added fat, respectively. The inhibitory activities of lactate and propionate increased with increase in fat content, and were more pronounced at 4C, where the effects were listericidal. Inhibition by sorbic acid was least influenced by the fat content, and the potassium salt was less antilisterial than the acid.