Meat+Poultry - August 2019 - 34

INGREDIENT ISSUES

Green tea extracts
are combined with
buffered vinegar to
help extend shelf life.

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marinades, spice blends or it can be directly
applied to meat.
Buffered vinegar systems may contain
either sodium or potassium cations.
Manufacturers trying to manage sodium
content levels will often opt for the potassium
version. They are equally effective at inhibiting
growth of pathogens and spoilage bacteria;
however, depending on application, there's
always that chance the slight bitterness of
potassium may be detectable.
Both versions are available in liquid and dry
formats, with the dry version almost four times
as strong as the liquid, which means usage
levels are lower with the dry product. They can
be simply declared on ingredient statements as
"vinegar" or "vinegar powder."
Rosemary and green tea extracts are
often combined with buffered vinegar for
a multi-prong approach to extending shelf
life by addressing color retention and food
safety with one ingredient. Often times when
combined together, the ingredients work
synergistically, allowing for a lower usage rate
for the same effect.
Natural ferments are also considered cleanlabel food safety ingredients. They are typically
made from sugars that are naturally fermented
using specific food cultures to produce a
range of different actives, such as organic
acids, small peptides, residual sugars and
other fermentation products, without artificial
additives. Some ferments provide additional
functionality, including yield enhancement,
texture improvement and savory flavor.

Formulators are responsible
for making sure these
snacks stay safe during
transport until the time of
consumption.
They are approved by the US Dept. of
Agriculture (USDA) for application in fresh and
processed meat products and can be used in a
wide range of products, including those with
natural claims. In ready-to-eat meats, some
of these ingredients may be used to enhance
safety by inhibiting the growth of Listeria for
more than 100 days. Some ingredients may
also inhibit spoilage organisms, increasing the
shelf life of fresh meat, often times doubling it.

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life by retarding oxidation. The more that a
food is handled, the more at risk it is for being
contaminated. Therefore, the meats added to
snack packs, as well as sliced-to-order RTE
meats from the deli counter are an easy target
for pathogens.
Organic acid salts are some of the most
effective antimicrobial agents used in meat
and poultry products. They are basically
organic acids, such as propionic acid,
acetic acid and citric acid, buffered,
also known as neutralized, with a
conjugate base. Propionic acid
is recognized as being the
most effective of these acids;
while vinegar, a natural
source of acetic acid, is now
being used by processors as
a label-friendly, all-natural
antimicrobial.
Their mode of action
on pathogenic and spoilage
microorganisms is the same,
but their effectiveness varies by
the organic acid, specifically the
amount of undissociated or non-ionized
acid. It is the undissociated acid that can
penetrate microbial cell walls. Once inside
the microorganism, where the pH is near or
above neutral, the acid dissociates, lowering
the pH. With pH-sensitive microorganisms,
including the pathogens and spoilage
bacteria encountered in the meat and poultry
processing and distribution environment,
this change in pH impairs or stops growth.
Further, the anionic parts of the organic acid,
which are the negatively charged ions, that
remain in the microorganism will accumulate,
disrupting metabolic functions. This leads to
an increase in osmotic pressure that destroys
the microorganism.
Buffered vinegar is where a great deal
of innovation has been taking place. This is
because vinegar is an ingredient consumers
understand and don't view as a chemical
preservative; thus, it is viewed as a cleanlabel ingredient. Buffered vinegar solutions
have no negative effect on meat quality,
including parameters such as water-holding
capacity, protein denaturation, color or flavor.
Suppliers offer liquid and dry formats of
buffered vinegar, even no-sodium and organic
options, making it easy to add to brines,

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Meat+Poultry - August 2019

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