Meat products are rich in nutrients, have a high protein content and at the same time have a relatively high moisture content and are suitable for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. Therefore, they can easily lead to spoilage and deterioration of products. This causes huge losses to the meat processing enterprises and wastes a lot of them. The manpower, material resources, and financial resources of this meat processing company use more preservatives to suppress the spoilage of the product. So far, the preservatives commonly used in meat products are sorbic acid and its potassium salts, sodium diacetate, nisin, natamycin and glyceryl monocaprylate and sodium lactate powder.
Sorbic acid is an acidic preservative that inhibits bacteria, mold, and yeast. Like other organic acid preservatives,
The effect of sorbic acid varies with the pH value of the product. The lower the pH value of the product, ie, the greater the acidity, the greater the efficacy of preservation, and thus the less amount of preservative required. The same applies to sorbates. It is just a form of sorbic acid. This acid is formed from sorbates in the acidic pH range. Its mildew effect diminishes with increasing pH. The antibacterial effect was good at pH3, and there was still antibacterial effect at pH6, but the required concentration was large, and the minimum concentration (MIC) at which pH6 was completely inhibited was more than 0.2%. Sorbic acid inhibits biological growth and preservation by inhibiting the dehydrogenase system in microorganisms. Sorbic acid has a good antiseptic effect on jams, beverages, and noodles with low pH values, but for pH
For higher foods, it is often necessary to add acid to lower the pH and then use sorbic acid to achieve an antiseptic effect. This has an adverse effect on the flavor, water retention, elasticity and natural quality of foods. Potassium sorbate preservatives are mainly sorbic acid’s ability to inhibit the dehydrogenase system of microorganisms such as molds and to inhibit the growth of moulds and the like. However, when the mold contamination is serious or has begun to corrupt, the mold can use potassium sorbate as a culture medium, so that sorbic acid does not play any role. Therefore, the addition of potassium sorbate is only one way to extend the shelf life. The preservation of meat products is also related to the temperature and water activity of the raw materials, and is closely related to the control of external and internal factors.
Sodium lactate powder is widely used in meat products as a moisturizer, antioxidant synergist and flavor enhancer.
Reduces the water activity and influences the proton permeability of the cell membrane to acidify the intracellular structure, inhibit the growth of microorganisms, and provide antiseptic effect to processed meat products. : Sodium lactate powder can effectively inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. It inhibits the growth of Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella and Escherichia coli, and improves the color and flavor of the product.
Since potassium sorbate is an acidic antiseptic, it can be used in combination with sodium lactate powder or potassium lactate, which not only has its own antiseptic effect, but also can adjust the pH value, which is beneficial to the long-lasting exertion of antiseptic effect.