However, by themselves, they generally are not
effective enough to meet the current standards of zero
pathogen tolerance. In conjunction with other interventions
(e.g., organic acids, hot water, or steam treatment)
they may not only become more effective for pathogen
reduction but also serve to decrease the negative impact
on the quality of meat and poultry products resulting
in more shelf-stable products. Additionally, antioxidants
attack pathogens by different mechanisms than heat or
acids, thus making them a potentially complementary
treatment.