Acidified calcium sulfate.

Acidified calcium sulfate is showing promise as a way to kill L. monocytogenes and keep lunch meats safer for consumers. When these products are cooked, they are pasteurized, and Listeria is killed. Assuming the product is cooked adequately, the risk of contamination comes from its surface. If the product is contaminated after cooking, there is a risk in eating that product without properly reheating it. Some luncheon meats, such as bologna, are routinely not cooked before eating. Substances such as lactic acid and sodium lactate are not considered entirely effective against the regrowth of the organism. Acidified calcium sulfate--an organic acid, calcium sulfate combination--is showing potential as a product that not only kills the Listeria on the surface of products, but also keeps it from coming back. It has Generally Recognized As Safe status. Researchers inoculated frankfurters manufactured under commercial processing conditions with a four-strain L. monocytogenes cocktail which contained 10 million microorganisms per gram. The frankfurters were then vacuum-packaged, stored under refrigeration at 40 F for 12 weeks and evaluated at two-week intervals. Acidified calcium sulfate killed the Listeria on the surface and also had a residual effect on the surface. Contact: Jimmy Keeton, Texas A&M University, Department of Animal Science, Meat Science Section, College Station, TX 77843. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].