Microbiological, Chemical, and Physical Changes in Fresh, Vacuum‐Packaged Pork Treated with Organic Acids and Salts

The effects of selected organic acids and salts on microbial numbers, pH, exudate, and color were studied for vacuum-packaged, fresh pork chops. Pork chops were dipped for 2 min in (v/v) 1% acetic acid, 1% acetic/1% lactic acid, 1.5% acetic/1.5% sodium acetate, 3% acetic/3% sodium ascorbate, 3% acetic/2% NaCl or sterile, distilled water before being vacuum-packaged and stored at 2 degrees-4 degrees C for 6 weeks. Treatments containing 3% acid resulted in lower aerobic microbial numbers (P less than 0.05) and effectively inhibited Enterobacteriaceae. Treatments containing 1% acetic acid, with or without 1% lactic acid, were ineffective. All acid treatments increased exudate and were detrimental to meat color (P less than 0.05) although sodium ascorbate reduced color damage. Chops treated with 3% acetic acid/3% sodium ascorbate had the highest Hunter a and L color scores.