Microbial, instrumental color and sensory characteristics of inoculated ground beef produced using potassium lactate, sodium metasilicate or peroxyacetic acid as multiple antimicrobial interventions

Effectiveness of multiple antimicrobial interventions on ground beef microbial, instrumental color and sensory attributes through display was evaluated. Beef trimmings were inoculated with Escherichia coli (EC) and Salmonella typhimurium (ST) then treated with either: (1) 3% potassium lactate followed by 4% sodium metasilicate (KN); (2) 4% sodium metasilicate followed by 3% potassium lactate (NK); (3) 200-ppm peroxyacetic acid followed by 3% potassium lactate (PK); (4) 200-ppm peroxyacetic acid followed by 4% sodium metasilicate (PN); or control (CON). Trimmings were ground, packaged and sampled on days 0–7 of display for EC, ST, coliforms, aerobic plate count, instrumental color and sensory characteristics. Only PK reduced (P < 0.05) all bacterial types evaluated. The PN treatment remained (P < 0.05) redder (a*), contained more (P < 0.05) oxymyoglobin and had less (P < 0.05) discoloration than CON by days 3–7 of display. All treatments maintained or improved odor attributes.