Lactic acid used as an initial decontamination step increased the
antimicrobial action of low to medium (1 and 3 kGy) dose e-beam
irradiation against non-O157 VTEC, E. coli O157: H7 and Salmonella
in frozen meat. With relatively higher dose (7 kGy) e-beam irradiation,
lactic acid had little effect on bacterial inactivation by
irradiation. Since lactic acid is approved as an antimicrobial treatment
for beef in the U. S and Canada, if its use were followed by low
dose e-beam irradiation, the combination would have the potential
to be one of the more effective methods to improve meat safety,
particularly when frozen, and reduce effects on meat quality
evident at higher irradiation levels.