Cultured dextrose to preserve deli meat

Cultured dextrose, as a natural antimicrobial agent and mold inhibitor, enjoys its widespread applications beyond baked goods.

A Cargill study investigated the effects of product attributes such as pH, moisture, salt content, and a natural antimicrobial agent on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked, sliced deli turkey breast (https://doi.org/10.4315/JFP-21-379). The antimicrobial agent consisted of cultured dextrose and buffered vinegar.

The study found that both lag time and maximum growth rate of Listeria monocytogenes were significantly affected by the antimicrobial concentration and product pH, indicating the antimicrobials played the most important role in preserving turkey deli meat.

Cultured dextrose is most effective at pH 5.5 or below if its key active ingredient is propionate. The product pH needs to be below pH 4.5 for cultured dextrose containing lactate to be effective because lactic acid has a pKa of 3.86 comparing to 4.87 of propionic acid. This paper did not disclose the active ingredient of cultured dextrose involved, but according to the testing meat pH range (pH between 6.1 to 6.9), it is more likely to be propionate than lactate.

Another study concluded that that combining calcium propionate and tea polyphenols could be a promising method to extend the shelf life of beef chunks during refrigerated storage for at least four days comparing to control group. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643823000695). NaturalGARD cultured dextrose contains high concentration of calcium propionate and can be used as a clean label preservative for beef chunks.