The mean lactate concentrations in RTE meats varied significantly (p < 0.05) among manufacturers and ranged from 10.71(code M, Table 1) to 23.03 mg/g (code V, Table 1) for L. monocytogenes-negative samples. For L. monocytogenes-positive samples, the mean lactate concentrations ranged from 1.13 (Cp 3,Table 2) to 24.05 mg/g (Xp1, Table 2). The mean concentrations of
lactate and acetate in the products were mostly below the regulatory limits. Among a single manufacturer's samples that were positive for L. monocytogenes, there was sometimes significant
(p < 0.05) variation in the concentrations of lactate, acetate, and lactate þ acetate (Table 2). For example, samples from Manufacturer C (Table 2) had lactate that ranged from 1.13 to 18.2 mg/g in the five L. monocytogenes-positive samples. Acetates in those samples ranged from 0 (in two samples) to 3.35 mg/g. One sample (Manufacturer C) had high lactate þ acetate, while all other samples were below the target lactate þ acetate levels. Lower mean