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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1974 April; 27(4): 733-737
Copyright © 1974 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Sodium Nitrite on Toxin Production by Clostridium botulinum in bacon

Swift & Company, Research and Development Center, Oak Brook, Illinois 60521
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250
Division of Microbiology, Food and Drug Administration, Washington, D.C. 20204
American Meat Institute Foundation, Chicago, Illinois 60605

ABSTRACT

Pork bellies were formulated to 0, 30, 60, 120, 170, or 340 µg of nitrite per g of meat and inoculated with Clostridium botulinum via pickle or after processing and slicing. Processed bacon was stored at 7 or 27 C and assayed for nitrite, nitrate, and botulinal toxin at different intervals. Nitrite levels declined during processing and storage. The rate of decrease was more rapid at 27 than at 7 C. Although not added to the system, nitrate was detected in samples during processing and storage at 7 and 27 C. The amount of nitrate found was related to formulated nitrite levels. No toxin was found in samples incubated at 7 C throughout the 84-day test period. At 27 C, via pickle, inoculated samples with low inoculum (210 C. botulinum per g before processing and 52 per g after processing) became toxic if formulated with 120 µg of nitrite per g of meat or less. Toxin was not detected in bacon formulated with 170 or 340 µg of nitrite per g of meat under these same conditions. Toxin was detected at all formulated nitrite levels in bacon inoculated via the pickle with 19,000 C. botulinum per g (4,300 per g after processing) and in samples inoculated after slicing. However, increased levels of formulated nitrite decreased the probability of botulinal toxin formation in bacon inoculated by both methods.