Use of calcium, potassium, and sodium lactates to control germination and outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens spores during chilling of injected pork

Inhibition of Clostridium perfringens spore germination and outgrowth during abusive chilling regimes was investigated by the incorporation of lactates of calcium (CaL), potassium (KL) and sodium (NaL) in injected pork. Lactates (Ca, K, or Na) were incorporated into injected pork samples at four different concentrations (1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0%, and 4.8%), along with a no-lactate control. A three-strain cocktail of C. perfringens spores was inoculated into the product (injected pork) to obtain a final spore population of ca. 2.0–2.5 log10 CFU/g. Chilling of injected pork (control) from 54.4 to 7.2 °C within 6.5, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21 h exponential chill rates resulted in C. perfringens population increases of 0.49, 2.40, 4.02, 5.03, 6.24, and 6.30 log10 CFU/g, respectively. Addition of CaL at 1.0% or KL and NaL ⩾2.0% to injected pork was able to control C. perfringens germination and outgrowth to <1 log CFU/g, meeting the USDA-FSIS performance standard. However, extension of chilling rates beyond 9.0 h (up to 21 h) required addition of CaL (⩾2.0%), KL or NaL (⩾3.0%) to meet the stabilization performance standard. In general, CaL was more effective compared to KL or NaL for all the chilling regimes, in reducing the potential risk of C. perfringens germination and outgrowth.