SORBIC ACID INHIBITION OF CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM IN NITRITE‐FREE POULTRY FRANKFURTERS

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Abstract
Chicken and turkey frankfurter emulsions and ground commercial frankfurters were treated with sorbic acid or potassium sorbate together with several acidulating agents. These were inoculated with 400 spores/g of a mixture of 21 strains of C. botulinum (12 of type A, 9 of type B) and canned under vacuum in 208 × 107 aluminum tab cans. The cans were temperature abused at 30°C. Chicken emulsions with sodium acid pyrophosphate (used for commercial frankfurters) showed can swelling in 2 days; turkey emulsion cans swelled in 4 days. The mean swell times for chicken and turkey were, respectively: 7 and 15 days with 0.52% potassium sorbate and 13 and 35 days with 0.40% sorbic acid. Acidification of emulsions with 3PO4 or glucono‐δ‐lactone to a pH as low as 5.4 did not increase the mean swell times; however, in combination with 0.4% sorbic acid the mean swell times were increased over those of the sorbic acid alone. Citric acid increased mean swell times in turkey but not in chicken emulsions. For poultry emulsions and poultry frankfurters commercially prepared with 0.2% sorbic acid, acidification with H3PO4 to pH 5.7 resulted in appreciable increases in mean swell times; 0.4% sorbic acid without 3PO4 was more effective. Indigenous microflora, causing gas production in the cans, were also inhibited by 0.4% sorbic acid and by 3PO4 acidified 0.2% sorbic acid. Finished frankfurters generally behaved the same as the emulsions in C. botulinum inhibition; however, they gave better protection than the emulsions when both were treated with 0.2% sorbic acid plus 3PO4.