Lactic acid spray (INS 270) in bovine carcasses and its influence on microbial population dynamics, volatilome and shelf life of chilled vacuum-packed sirloin

• Grant number: 21/10817-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: Anderson de Souza Sant'Ana
• Grantee: Sávio Henrique de Cicco Sandes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/26667-2 - Beef quality in Bos indicus cattle: biological markers for meat attributes in different ultimate pH ranges, AP.TEM

Abstract

The accelerated spoilage of vacuum-packed beef is one the problems preventing a significant increase in the consumption and marketing of Brazilian beef in the country and abroad. Despite this, the development and application of emerging technologies aiming to obtain safer and better-quality products are being evaluated. One of these approaches involves spraying lactic acid onto bovine carcasses. Despite its proven antimicrobial efficiency, there are no studies about the consequences of the application of this technology on microbial population dynamics and the metabolic residues produced by it. Thus, this project aims to evaluate the application of lactic acid spray on bovine carcasses and its consequences on the quality, safety, and shelf life of vacuum-packed meats. This study will be performed using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods to obtain information about cultivable and non-cultivable bacteria that may eventually be associated with the degradation process of the product. The volatile substances produced by these microorganisms, which are associated with the blown pack spoilage, will also be evaluated. These studies will be carried out over a period, to obtain an in-depth analysis of the microbial succession process and its consequences in response to the applied treatment. This information will contribute to the Brazilian beef production chain, providing subsides regarding the impact of spraying the lactic acid solution on the spoilage of vacuum-packed beef. This information is very important because adopting this technology result in costs for industries and should result in benefits for the shelf life of vacuum-packed beef during storage and selling. (AU)