Method of processing poultry and other meat to reduce or eliminate Salmonella

Abstract

A method for reducing the incidence of Salmonella in harvested poultry comprising treating the poultry with an effective antimicrobial solution comprising a blend of lactic and citric acids in proportions containing a predominance of lactic acid down to a minimum of about 40:40 wt./wt. lactic acid to citric acid, and preferably ranging down to about 45:35 wt./wt. lactic acid to citric acid; and the pH of the solution is less than about 3.2.

1 . An antimicrobial composition for reducing the incidence of  Salmonella  consisting essentially of an aqueous solution of lactic and citric acids wherein:
 the acids comprise 1 to 2.5 wt % of the solution,   there is a predominance of lactic acid with citric acid being present so that there is a minimum ratio of 40:40 wt./wt. lactic acid to citric acid; and   the pH of the solution is less than 3.2.   
     
     
         2 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 1  wherein the minimum ratio is 45:35 wt./wt. lactic acid to citric acid. 
     
     
         3 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of lactic to citric acids is between about 77:3 to 45:35 wt./wt. 
     
     
         4 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of lactic to citric acid is between about 75:5 and 50:30 wt./wt. 
     
     
         5 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 1  wherein the acids comprise about 2.0 wt. % of the solution and the ratio of lactic to citric acids is between about 77:3 and 55:25 wt./wt. 
     
     
         6 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 1  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         7 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 2  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         8 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 3  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         9 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 4  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         10 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 5  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         11 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 1  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         12 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 2  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         13 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 3  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         14 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 4  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         15 . The antimicrobial composition of  claim 5  wherein the pH of the solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         16 . A method for reducing the incidence of  Salmonella  in harvested poultry comprising treating the poultry with an effective antimicrobial solution comprising a blend of citric and lactic acids wherein:
 there is a predominance of lactic acid with citric acid being present so that there is a minimum ratio of 40:40 wt./wt. lactic acid to citric acid; and; and   the pH of the solution is less than 3.2.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the antimicrobial composition of has a minimum ratio of about 45:35 wt./wt. lactic acid to citric acid. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the ratio of lactic to citric acids in the antimicrobial composition is between about 77:3 to 45:35 wt./wt. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the ratio of lactic to citric acid in the antimicrobial composition is between about 75:5 and 50:30 wt./wt. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the acids comprise about 2.0 wt. % of the antimicrobial solution and the ratio of lactic to citric acids is between about 77:3 and 55:25 wt./wt. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         24 . The Method of  claim 19  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 3.0. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the pH of the antimicrobial solution is between about 1.8 to 2.5. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 16  in which the treating of the poultry with the antimicrobial solution of citric and lactic acids occurs after removal of the feathers. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 16  in which the treating of the poultry with the antimicrobial solution of citric and lactic acids occurs after evisceration. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 16  in which the treating of the poultry with the antimicrobial solution of citric and lactic acids occurs after removal of the feathers and again after evisceration. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 16  in which the treating with the antimicrobial solution of citric and lactic acids occurs for about 1 to 60 seconds. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 16  in which the treating with the antimicrobial solution comprising a blend of citric and lactic acids occurs for about 5 to 10 seconds.