In vacuum-packaged samples, lower differences were observed for TVC, although batch C still showed higher numbers (data not shown). The counts of B. thermosphacta showed significant differences (P b 0.05) between batch C and nitrate/nitrite samples, increasing by 0.5–1 log cfu/g when no nitrate/nitrite were added (Table 1). No significant differences due to the concentration of curing agents were observed in LAB counts (data not shown).
Salmonella final counts were approximately 0.5 log cfu/g higher (P b 0.05) in the absence of nitrate/nitrite, either when minced meat was aerobically or anaerobically stored (Fig. 2). Also, in vacuum-packaged control samples, an increase of 1 log cfu/g was observed at day 5.