Hops beta acids (HBA) are the major constituents of hops acids from hops flowers. The primary active components of HBA are lupulone (C27H38O4), colupulone (C26H37O4), and adlupulone (C27H38O4), which have the ability to exert antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. HBA are approved by the US-FDA and USDA-FSIS for use as a Generally Recognized as Safe antimicrobial agent on cooked meat. However, published literature on the anti-microbial activity of HBA on ready-to-eat meat products is limited. The objectives of the studies are to evaluate the anti-listerial activity of HBA and their impact on the quality and sensory attributes of ready-to-eat ham and frankfurters. Commercially cured ham slices and frankfurters were inoculated with unstressed- and acid-stress-adapted (ASA)-L. monocytogenes (2.2–2.5 log10CFU/cm2), followed by no dipping (control), dipping in deionized (DI) water, or dipping in a HBA solution (0.11%-0.50%). This was followed by vacuum or aerobic packaging and storage (4 or 7.2°C, 35 or 20 days). Samples were taken periodically during storage to check for pH, color changes and analyze the microbial populations. Sensory evaluations were performed on ham slices and frankfurters treated with 0.05–0.23% HBA solutions, followed by vacuum packaging and aerobic storage (4.0 or 7.0°C, 30-35 days). HBA caused immediate reductions of 1.2–1.5 log10CFU/cm2 (P&lt;0.05) in unstressed- and ASA-L. monocytogenes populations on ham slices and frankfurters. During storage, the unstressed-L. monocytogenes populations on HBA-treated ham and frankfurters were 0.5–2.0 log10CFU/cm2 lower (P&lt;0.05) than control samples and those dipped in DI water. The lag-phase of the unstressed-L. monocytogenes population was extended from 3.396–7.125 days (control) to 7.194–10.920 days in the HBA-treated ham and frankfurters. However, the ASA-L. monocytogenes population showed resistance to HBA. Dipping in HBA solution did not adversely affect the color or sensory attributes of the ham and frankfurters. These results are useful for helping ready-to-eat meat processors develop operational procedures for applying HBA on ready-to-eat meat products.

Anti-listerial activity of hops beta acids on ready-to-eat meat products

252nd National Meeting (2016)

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