Antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria against Listeria monocytogenes on frankfurters formulated with and without lactate/diacetate

Contamination by Listeria monocytogenes has been a constant public health threat for the ready-to-eat (RTE) meat industry due to the potential for high mortalities from listeriosis. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have shown protective action against various pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antilisterial activity of a combination of three LAB strains (Lactiguard®) on L. monocytogenes. The combination of the LAB was inhibitory to L. monocytogenes inoculated onto frankfurters not containing lactate/diacetate after 8 weeks of refrigerated storage (0.6 log reduction compared to L. monocytogenes only control), and when a cell free extract (CFS) of the LAB was added with LAB even more inhibition was obtained (1.2 log reduction compared with L. monocytogenes only). In frankfurters containing lactate/diacetate the LAB and the LAB plus CFS were more effective in reducing growth of L. monocytogenes after 8 weeks of refrigerated storage (2 and 3.3 log reductions respectively).

► Lactate/diacetate did not inhibit lactic acid bacteria. ► Lactate/diacetate did not impede function of cell free extract. ► Lactic acid bacteria reduced Listeria growth in frankfurters with lactate/diacetate. ► Cell free extract enhanced lactic acid bacteria function.