U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska
Date of this Version
1998
Document Type
Article
Citation
Published in Letters in Applied Microbiology (1998) 27, 19–23.
Abstract
In two separate experiments, the bacteriocin, nisin, was incorporated into a commercially available meat binding system (Fibrimex®) and applied to meat surfaces as a way of inhibiting the meat spoilage organism, Brochothrix thermosphacta during extended refrigerated storage. In experiment 1, pre-rigor lean beef carcass tissue (BCT) was inoculated with B. thermosphacta, left untreated (U), treated with 10 µg ml-1 nisin (N), Fibrimex® (F) or Fibrimex® containing 10 µg ml-1 nisin (FN), held aerobically at 4 °C for up to 7 d, and populations of B. thermosphacta and nisin activity determined. Experiment 2 determined the effects of the same treatments but on post-rigor, frozen and thawed lean BCT that was inoculated, vacuumpackaged, and stored at 4 °C for up to 14 d. In both experiments, N- and FNtreated tissues exhibited significantly lower populations of B. thermosphacta compared to U- and F-treated tissues, for the duration of refrigerated storage. Nisin activity was detected up to 7 d in N- and FN-treated samples from experiment 1. However, activity was detected only to days 0 and 2 in FN- and N-treated samples, respectively, from experiment 2. These studies indicate that the addition of a bacteriocin to a meat binding system and application to meat surfaces may be useful in reducing undesirable bacteria in restructured meat products.