Efficacy of propionic acid against Listeria monocytogenes attached to poultry skin during refrigerated storage

Resumen

This work evaluates the effect of propionic acid dip on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on poultry legs stored at 4°C for 8 days.Fresh inoculated chicken legs were dipped into either 1% or 2% propionic acid solution (v/v) or distilled water (control). Changes in mesophiles, enterobacteriaceae counts and sensorial characteristics (odour, colour and overall appearance) were also evaluated.The shelf life of the samples washed with propionic acid was extended by at least 2 days over the control samples washed with distilled water. Legs washed with 2% propionic acid showed a significant (p<0.05) inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes compared to control legs, with a decrease of about 2.72 log units after 3 days of storage. Sensory quality was not adversely affected by propionic acid.This study demostrates that while propionic acid did reduce growth of L. monocytogenes on meat, it did not completely inactivate the pathogen. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.