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<OL> <LI>To quantify the levels of acetate, lactate, and diacetate (organic acids) occurring in retail ready-to-eat (RTE) processed deli meat and poultry products previously analyzed for Listeria monocytogenes to determine the impact of current antimicrobial lethality treatments on occurrence of L. monocytogenes at retail <LI>To provide data needed by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on the uniformity and levels of organic acids occurring in RTE processed meat and poultry products following implementation of the Listeria Rule in late 2003.
Approach: A total of 4,000 samples of RTE processed meat and poultry from grocery store delicatessens and pre-packaged RTE meat and poultry luncheon meats collected from four FoodNet States (TN, GA, CA, MN) will be quantified for organic acids, such as lactate, acetate, and diacetate, using GC/MS-LC. The data will be analyzed to determine the prevailing levels of these additives in the market products and their correlation to the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in RTE meat and poultry products.