Purac, a global leader in food preservation, has welcomed the European Commission's approval this week of the use of lactic acid as a decontaminant for beef carcasses, half carcasses and quarters. Already widely used to reduce microbial surface contamination in the USA for some time, the use of lactic acid for this purpose in beef will be permitted in Europe from 25 February. The decision will boost food safety for consumers, according to the company.
"This week's regulation is great news for the European beef industry," said Lonneke van Dijk, category manager meat at Purac. "Treating beef with a lactic acid wash has proven effective in reducing foodborne pathogens and will be a valuable additional aspect of HACCP practices in slaughterhouses, providing the European meat industry another effective solution to fight various food-borne pathogens, including E-coli and Salmonella. This, in turn, will ensure higher food safety standards and prolong shelf life." The company stressed that the use of lactic acid is an additional tool in the food safety armoury, not a substitute for hygienic practice.
Lactic acid and its derivatives have been used as natural antimicrobial agents in many parts of the food industry for years, so have a long history of safe use. Purac's portfolio has formed part of multiple hurdle food safety programmes in the meat industry for several decades, and the company now holds sector expertise and technical insight to help slaughterhouses and processors maximise the safety, shelf life and appeal of their products.
The use of lactic acid for surface decontamination in beef slaughterhouses wasdeemed safe by EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) in 2011.
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Consumers expect manufacturers to produce safe and wholesome meat and poultry products. Raw beef, poultry, pork, and veal are common vehicles for foodborne diseases such as salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis. The meat industry is looking for effective intervention technologies to prevent pathogen contamination of meat and poultry products.
The use of PURAC® lactic acid as a decontaminant linked to GMP (good manufacturing practices) can bring important advantages to producers by reducing the prevalence of pathogens, as well as the initial bacterial counts. PURAC in a 2% to 5% solution is a suitable surface decontaminant for fresh meat (pork, beef, and poultry).
A research study showed that applying apre-chill treatment solution containing 2% lactic acid onto beef carcasses reduces the counts of Salmonella typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 by 5 log cycles, whereas applying a water wash only results in a reduction of 3 log counts.
* Purac News update, February 6 2013
European Commission approves the use of lactic acid as a decontaminant for beef carcasses.
Gorinchem, February 6, 2013
Purac has welcomed the European Commission's approval this week of the use of lactic acid as a decontaminant for beef carcasses, half carcasses and quarters. Already widely used to reduce microbial surface contamination in the USA for some time, the use of lactic acid for this purpose in beef will be permitted in Europe from 25 February. The decision will boost food safety for consumers, according to the company.
"This week's regulation is great news for the European beef industry," said Lonneke van Dijk, category manager meat at Purac. "Treating beef with a lactic acid wash has proven effective in reducing foodborne pathogens and will be a valuable additional aspect of HACCP practices in slaughterhouses, providing the European meat industry another effective solution to fight various food-borne pathogens, including E-coli and Salmonella. This, in turn, will ensure higher food safety standards and prolong shelf life." The company stressed that the use of lactic acid is an additional tool in the food safety armoury, not a substitute for hygienic practice.
Lactic acid and its derivatives have been used as natural antimicrobial agents in many parts of the food industry for years, so have a long history of safe use. Purac's portfolio has formed part of multiple hurdle food safety programmes in the meat industry for several decades, and the company now holds sector expertise and technical insight to help slaughterhouses and processors maximise the safety, shelf life and appeal of their products.
The use of lactic acid for surface decontamination in beef slaughterhouses was deemed safe by EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) in 2011.
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http://www.purac.com/EN/Food/ingredients/Meat_poultry_and_fish/Applications/Carcass.aspx
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