Growth Potential of in Sliced Turkey Packed in Modified Atmosphere.

According to EC Regulation No 2073/2005, for food business operators that produce ready-to-eat (RTE) product, it is crucial to be able to demonstrate if the product supports the growth of . The objective of the study was therefore to evaluate the behaviour of in sliced RTE turkey (made by cured turkey breast 4.5% NaCl, 1% sodium lactate, sodium nitrite 150 ppm and flavouring) during the shelf life of the product, simulating a contamination during the slicing operation. Considering a shelf life of 90 days, as defined by manufacturer, the packages of sliced were stored at 5°C for 7 days and at 8°C for the remaining storage time (83 days). count decreased during storage test from 1.43/1.98 log cfu/g in the three batches tested to 1.03 log cfu/g in one batch and to undetectable levels in the other two batches. The results show that the investigated product is unable to support the growth of .