Studies examining the effects of lactate and acetate on L. monocytogenes were mainly to determine the effective levels and conditions of using both salts in various products (Abou-Zeid et al.,2007; Gonzalez-Fandos & Dominguez, 2006; Samelis et al., 2001).
However, data on the actual levels and effectiveness of both additives in commercial products are limited and their applicability in the food industry has been questioned. The goal of this study was to determine the correlations between the concentrations of lactate and acetate and the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in retail RTE meats in the U.S.