Application of high-pressure processing and nisin to mechanically recovered poultry meat for microbial decontamination

The combined effect of high-pressure, nisin and acidification on the mesophilic and psychrotrophic microbiota of mechanically recovered poultry meat (MRPM) was evaluated. Nisin (0, 12.5, 100 and 200 ppm) and 1% of glucono-delta-lactone were added to MRPM. Samples were treated by combinations of pressure (350 and 450 MPa), time (5 and 15 min) and temperature (-20 and 20 °C). Both alone or in combination with nisin, pressurization at 20 °C was more lethal than that at -20 °C. The significantly highest decreases in counts occurred in samples with 200 ppm of nisin treated at 450 MPa: 5.3 log CFU/g for mesophiles and above 7.5 log CFU/g (nondetected growth) for psychrotrophs. So, this combined treatment can improve the safety and shelf-life of MRPM. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.