USE OF CHLORINE, BENZOATE AND LACTIC ACID AS DECONTAMINATORS TO MECHANICALLY SEPARATED POULTRY MEAT AND APPLICATION IN TRADITIONAL EGYPTIAN LUNCHEON

Mechanically separated meat was chemically decontaminated with various approved materials and the used for preparation of traditional Egyptian luncheon. The prepared luncheon was then kept at room temperature to study the effect of such treatments on its bacterial load and keeping quality. All the used chemicals significantly reduced the bacterial load of mechanically separated meat in comparison with control product in which untreated mechanically separated meat was incorporated. Combined use of chlorine and sodium benzoate was the most powerful treatment, where it was responsible for reduction of the different bacterial populations by about 1.5-3.5 log₁₀ cycles. The same treatment exerted a much more effect than the other three treatments in extending the shelf life of luncheon to 7 weeks in comparison with 5 weeks in samples treated with either chlorine or lactic acid alone and only 2 weeks in untreated control samples. Combined treatment also reduced the used concentration of both chemicals without affecting the shelf life of the product.