Table 5.
Effect of 2% lactic acid on the mesophilic, psychrotrophic, Pseudomonas, Enterobacterales, and C. jejuni counts on chicken legs packaged under different modified atmospheres (log cfu/g).
| Microbial Group | Batch | Day of Storage | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 17 | ||
| Meosphiles | BC | 4.71 ± 0.02 a | 6.25 ± 0.15 a | 7.20 ± 0.13 a | 8.72 ± 0.10 a | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
| BA | 3.90 ± 0.15 b | 4.90 ± 0.03 b | 6.28 ± 0.41 b | 6.83 ± 0.15 b | 7.91 ± 0.10 a | 8.14 ± 0.16 a | 8.84 ± 0.10 a | NI | NI | |
| BV | 3.90 ± 0.15 b | 4.76 ± 0.39 b | 5.87 ± 0.39 b | 6.11 ± 0.29 c | 6.16 ± 0.05 b | 6.24 ± 0.15 b | 7.54 ± 0.06 b | 8.07 ± 0.31 a | 8.57 ± 0.12 a | |
| BC20 | 3.90 ± 0.15 b | 3.85 ± 0.21 c | 4.19 ± 0.53 c | 5.34 ± 0.11d | 5.52 ± 0.11 c | 5.67 ± 0.18 c | 6.89 ± 0.13 c | 7.85 ± 0.45 a | 8.48 ± 0.33 a | |
| BC40 | 3.90 ± 0.15 b | 3.73 ± 0.07 c | 3.86 ± 0.05 c | 4.89 ± 0.30d | 4.95 ± 0.13 d | 5.18 ± 0.08d | 5.95 ± 0.08d | 6.95 ± 0.11 b | 7.93 ± 0.11 b | |
| Psychrotophs | BC | 4.32 ± 0.08 a | 6.16 ± 0.43 a | 7.39 ± 0.11 a | 8.98 ± 0.02 a | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
| BA | 2.30 ± 0.63 b | 4.88 ± 0.24 b | 5.95 ± 0.41 b | 6.83 ± 0.15 b | 6.76 ± 0.02 a | 8.13 ± 0.35 a | 8.75 ± 0.20 a | NI | NI | |
| BV | 2.30 ± 0.63 b | 4.65 ± 0.32 b | 5.59 ± 0.16 b | 6.23 ± 0.08 c | 5.86 ± 0.12 b | 6.18 ± 0.51 b | 7.78 ± 0.13 b | 8.35 ± 0.44 a | 8.40 ± 0.12 a | |
| BC20 | 2.30 ± 0.63 b | 3.44 ± 0.29 c | 4.14 ± 0.63 c | 5.24 ± 0.22 c | 5.30 ± 0.45 b | 5.74 ± 0.20 b | 6.87 ± 0.10 c | 7.82 ± 0.29 b | 8.18 ± 0.08 a | |
| BC40 | 2.30 ± 0.63 b | 3.10 ± 0.14 c | 3.80 ± 0.34 c | 4.24 ± 0.32d | 4.59 ± 0.28 c | 5.16 ± 0.11 c | 5.65 ± 0.32d | 6.57 ± 0.36 c | 7.80 ± 0.17 b | |
| Pseudomonas | BC | 4.31 ± 0.06 a | 5.73 ± 0.08 a | 7.00 ± 0.41 a | 7.47 ± 0.28 a | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
| BA | 2.33 ± 0.14 b | 4.75 ± 0.54 b | 5.33 ± 0.51 b | 5.72 ± 0.10 b | 6.98 ± 0.02 a | 8.16 ± 0.32 a | 8.60 ± 0.10 a | NI | NI | |
| BV | 2.33 ± 0.14 b | 4.26 ± 0.30 b | 4.95 ± 0.17 b | 5.16 ± 0.38 c | 5.26 ± 0.26 b | 6.07 ± 0.15 b | 7.82 ± 0.16 b | 8.21 ± 0.30 a | 8.44 ± 0.38 a | |
| BC20 | 2.33 ± 0.14 b | 3.22 ± 0.24 c | 3.72 ± 0.15 c | 4.91 ± 0.04 c | 5.19 ± 0.49 b | 5.75 ± 0.18 b | 6.70 ± 0.39 c | 7.80 ± 0.13 a | 8.29 ± 0.43 a | |
| BC40 | 2.33 ± 0.14 b | 3.00 ± 0.10 c | 3.34 ± 0.22 c | 4.15 ± 0.32d | 4.38 ± 0.15 c | 5.05 ± 0.39 c | 5.30 ± 0.23d | 6.45 ± 0.39 a | 7.40 ± 0.23 b | |
| Enterobacterales | BC | 2.76 ± 0.33 a | 4.49 ± 038 a | 5.90 ± 0.32 a | 7.86 ± 0.06 a | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
| BA | 2.06 ± 0.15 b | 2.24 ± 0.18 b | 4.21 ± 0.11 b | 5.91 ± 0.12 b | 6.13 ± 0.05 a | 6.58 ± 0.23 a | 7.00 ± 0.06 a | NI | NI | |
| BV | 2.06 ± 0.15 b | 2.00 ± 0.15 b | 3.83 ± 0.08 c | 4.96 ± 0.07 c | 5.26 ± 0.26 b | 5.65 ± 0.12 b | 6.82 ± 0.04 b | 6.45 ± 0.14 a | 6.60 ± 0.36 a | |
| BC20 | 2.06 ± 0.15 b | 2.18 ± 0.35 b | 3.55 ± 0.59 cd | 3.86 ± 0.24d | 5.03 ± 0.09 b | 5.04 ± 0.24 c | 6.00 ± 0.09 b | 6.40 ± 0.16 a | 6.45 ± 0.17 a | |
| BC40 | 2.06 ± 0.15 b | 2.14 ± 0.34 b | 2.94 ± 0.17d | 3.26 ± 0.29d | 4.82 ± 0.18 b | 4.96 ± 0.39 c | 5.50 ± 0.14 c | 5.93 ± 0.13 b | 5.94 ± 0.17 b | |
| C. jejuni | BC | 4.88 ± 0.06 a | 4.61 ± 0.05 a | 4.41 ± 0.09 a | 3.85 ± 0.07 a | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
| BA | 3.33 ± 0.12 b | 3.01 ± 0.03 b | 2.81 ± 0.33 b | 2.70 ± 0.27 b | 2.78 ± 0.11 a | 2.70 ± 0.10 a | 2.30 ± 0.15 a | NI | NI | |
| BV | 3.33 ± 0.12 b | 3.20 ± 0.13 b | 2.84 ± 0.39 b | 2.90 ± 0.06 b | 2.90 ± 0.32 a | 2.71 ± 0.16 a | 2.77 ± 0.13 ab | 2.68 ± 0.20 a | 2.75 ± 0.25 a | |
| BC20 | 3.33 ± 0.12 b | 3.25 ± 0.13 b | 2.90 ± 0.19 b | 2.98 ± 0.15 b | 2.95 ± 0.39 a | 2.91 ± 0.09 a | 3.06 ± 0.49 b | 2.84 ± 0.12 a | 3.13 ± 0.18 a | |
| BC40 | 3.33 ± 0.12 b | 3.49 ± 0.23 b | 3.00 ± 0.13 b | 3.10 ± 0.02 b | 2.98 ± 0.13 a | 3.08 ± 0.06 a | 3.14 ± 0.12 b | 2.87 ± 0.12 a | 3.13 ± 0.18 a | |
Mean ± standard deviation; mean values in the same column within the same microbial group that are followed by the same letter were not significantly different (p > 0.05). NI, not investigated; treatment conditions: Batch BC: control without lactic acid treatment, packaging in air; Batch BA: 2% lactic acid, packaging in air; Batch BV: 2% lactic acid, packaging in vacuum; Batch BC20: 2% lactic acid, packaging in 20%CO2/80%N2; Batch BC40: 2% lactic acid, packaging in 40%CO2/60%N2.