Sodium Lactate/Sodium Chloride Effects on Aerobic Plate Counts and Color of Aerobically Packaged Ground Pork

Ground pork (15% fat) was formulated to contain 0% to 3.0% sodium chloride and/or 0% to 3.0% sodium lactate (SL) resulting in 28 treatment combinations. Five replications consisted of two with low initial microbial loads (< 10³ CFU/g) and three with high initial loads (> 10⁵ CFU/ g). Ground pork (454g) was overwrapped in PVC and stored (4°C) aerobically for 21 d. A significant salt × SL interaction existed for redness of samples with low initial aerobic plate count (APC). Red color was best preserved by 2.0% or 3.0% SL. Initial pH values of low and high initial APC samples were similar. Initial product pH was best maintained by higher SL levels in low initial load samples and by higher sodium chloride levels in high initial load samples. Samples containing 3.0% SL had the lowest APC regardless of salt level.