https://doi.org/10.17113/ftb.64.02.26.9340

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Organic Acid Meat Decontamination: Optimizing Application Parameters to Reduce the Microbial Load of Yersinia enterocolitica 4/O:3 on Pork

Marta Kiš^1*, Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić² and Nevijo Zdolec¹

¹University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hygiene, Technology and Food Safety Unit, Heinzelova 55, Zagreb, Croatia

²University of Zagreb, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Process Engineering, Pierottijeva 6, Zagreb, Croatia

Copyright © 2024 This is a Diamond Open Access article published under CC-BY licence. Copyright remains with the authors, who grant third parties the unrestricted right to use, copy, distribute and reproduce the article as long as the original author(s) and source are acknowledged.

Article history:

Received: 28 August 2025

Accepted: 7 December 2025

Keywords:

Yersinia enterocolitica 4/O:3; pork; organic acids; water; decontamination

Summary:

Research background. Pigs are natural carriers of pathogenic bioserotypes of Yersinia enterocolitica and the consumption of undercooked pork is a risk factor in the epidemiology of yersiniosis. The aim of this study was to determine the decontamination effect of lactic and acetic acid on pork cuts inoculated with Yersinia enterocolitica 4/O:3 strains (N=10) under laboratory conditions and to compare their effect with the one obtained after water washing.

Experimental approach. A total of 20 decontamination protocols were carried out in which the effect of organic acid solutions (2 and 4 %) and water was investigated at different temperatures (25 and 80 °C) and exposure times (spraying for 10 and 30 s) in two time intervals ( 0 and 24 h).

Results and conclusions. The decontamination effect obtained after application of lactic acid solutions was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of acetic acid and water immediately after the treatment. After 24 h, their effect equalises (p>0.05), which can be attributed to the residual effect of the acids and the inadequate response of the cells to the cold conditions in the case of water washing. The factor analysis showed that hot solutions applied for a longer exposure time had the greatest influence on the reduction of Y. enterocolitica 4/O:3 counts (p<0.05) in contrast to the type of acid and its concentration (p>0.05).

Novelty and scientific contribution. This is the first organic acid susceptibility study focusing on the pathogenic bioserotype 4/O:3 of Y. enterocolitica. The study provides valuable insights for the development of strategies to control pathogenic Y. enterocolitica in the pork production chain and serves as a basis for future research.