Effects of Washing and Sanitizing on the Bacterial Flora of Vacuum-Packaged Pork Loins

Abstract

The bacteriology of boneless pork loins that were either spray-washed (SW) with water, spray-washed and sanitized with a 200 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution (SSCL) or spray-washed with water and sanitized with a 2% acetic acid solution (SSAA) before being vacuum packaged and stored for up to 28 d at 4.0°C was studied. Aerobic, anaerobic and lactobacilli bacterial counts immediately after treatment and at 14, 21 and 28 d were significantly lower on loins receiving the SSAA treatment than loins receiving the SW and SSCL treatment. SSCL loins had lower bacterial counts than untreated controls during 14 d of storage. SW loins had significantly lower bacterial counts than control loins only immediately after treatment. The SSAA treatment resulted in some discoloration. If this discoloration can be prevented, this treatment should be useful in extending the storage life of fresh pork.