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Weak Organic Acids in Food Technology: R. Yasothai and R. Giriprasad

Weak organic acids such as acetic and lactic acid are commonly used to reduce bacteria on food products. They are effective because their undissociated forms can penetrate the bacterial cell membrane and then dissociate inside the cell, decreasing the intracellular pH. This disruption to pH interferes with important bacterial processes. Factors like lower pH and Gram-positive bacteria make acids more effective. Approved uses include spraying lactic acid on meat to reduce pathogens. Organic acids are approved for reducing microbes on meat in the US and EU when used at concentrations between 1.5-2.5%.

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Weak Organic Acids in Food Technology: R. Yasothai and R. Giriprasad

Weak organic acids such as acetic and lactic acid are commonly used to reduce bacteria on food products. They are effective because their undissociated forms can penetrate the bacterial cell membrane and then dissociate inside the cell, decreasing the intracellular pH. This disruption to pH interferes with important bacterial processes. Factors like lower pH and Gram-positive bacteria make acids more effective. Approved uses include spraying lactic acid on meat to reduce pathogens. Organic acids are approved for reducing microbes on meat in the US and EU when used at concentrations between 1.5-2.5%.

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International Journal of Science, Environment ISSN 2278-3687 (O)

and Technology, Vol. 4, No 1, 2015, 164 – 166

Review Article
WEAK ORGANIC ACIDS IN FOOD TECHNOLOGY
R. Yasothai and R. Giriprasad*
Veterinary University Training and Research Centre, Erode
(Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University)
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Chozhapandi*

Weak organic acids are frequently used as an inexpensive and effective intervention to reduce
number and prevalence of bacterial pathogens on food products. Of all organic acids
evaluated in the literature, acetic and lactic acid are found to be the most acceptable.
Mechanism of Inactivation
The mechanism of inactivation by weak organic acids lays down in the ability of
undissociated form of organic acid to penetrate through the cell membrane, and to dissociate
inside the cell, resulting in decreased intracellular pH value, which is essential for the control
of ATP synthesis, RNA and protein synthesis, DNA replication and cell growth (Booth,
1985). Beside the decrease in intracellular pH, the perturbation of the membrane functions by
organic acid molecule might be also responsible for the microbial inactivation. The high
concentration of anions (due to dissociation) inside the cells might result in an increased
osmolarity and consequently to the metabolic perturbation (Hirshfield et al., 2003).
As for other non-thermal inactivation treatments, the microbial sub-lethal injury might occur
when the decontamination with organic acids is applied (Lee et al., 2002; Liao et al., 2003).
Alexandrou et al. (1995) reported that weak organic acids such as acetic and lactic acid
showed greater ability to inflict the subpopulation of sub-lethal injured cells than stronger
hydrochloric acid
Factors affecting
The efficiency of organic acid solutions also increased with the decrease of pH in the solution
(Van Netten et al.,1994). The Gram-positive bacteria are more susceptible to the action of
compounds interfering with the transport of ions across the cell (Raftari et al., 2009)
Uses and applications
Decontamination of carcasses with organic acid showed minimal effect on the sensory quality
of meat (Pipek et al., 2005). The application of 2% lactic acid spray solution on beef
Received Jan 21, 2015 * Published Feb 2, 2015 * www.ijset.net
165 R. Yasothai and R. Giriprasad

carcasses and chicken breasts has been effective in reducing population of E. coli O157:H7
for more than 1.5 log CFU/cm2, and (Kalchayanand et al., 2008).
Commercial status
Organic acids such as lactic, citric and acetic acids at concentration of 1.5–2.5% have been
approved as acceptable innervations for reduction of microbial pathogens on meat carcasses
in the United States (FSIS, 1996). European Union recently provided the legal bases to permit
the use of substances other than potable, clean water to decontaminate products of animal
origin (EU, 2004).
References
[1] Alexandrou, O., W.B. de and M.R. Adams, 1995. Capacitance measurement to assess
acid-induced injury to Salmonella enteritidis PT4. International Journal of Food
Microbiology, 27: 27–36.
[2] Booth, I.R., 1985. Regulation of cytoplasmic pH in bacteria. Microbiological Reviews,
49: 359–378.
[3] EU, 2004. Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin.
[4] FSIS, 1996. US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Directive
6350.1. Washington, DC.
[5] Hirshfield, I.N., S. Terzulli and C. Byrne, 2003. Weak organic acids: a panoply of effects
on bacteria. Science Progress, 86: 245–269.
[6] Kalchayanand, N., T.M. Arthur, J.M. Bosileva, D.M. Brichta-Harhay, M.N. Guerini, T.L.
Wheeler and M. Koohmaraie, 2008. Evaluation of various antimicrobial interventions for the
reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on bovine heads during processing. Journal of Food
Protection, 71: 621–624.
[7] Lee, S.Y., K.M. Yu, Fellman and D.H. Kang, 2002. Inhibition of Salmonella typhimurium
and Listeria monocytogenes in mung bean sprouts by chemical treatment. Journal of Food
Protection, 65: 1088–1092.
[8] Liao, C.H., L.M. Shollenberger and J.G. Phillip, 2003. Lethal and sublethal action of
acetic acid on Salmonella in vitro and on cut surfaces of apple slices. Journal of Food
Science, 68: 2793–2798.
[9] Pipek, P., A. Houska, J.K. Jelenikova, K. Kyhos Hoke and M. Sikulova, 2005. Microbial
decontamination of beef carcasses by combination of steaming and lactic acid spray. Journal
of Food Engineering, 67: 309–315.
Weak Organic Acids in Food Technology 166

[10] Raftari, M., F.A. Jalilian, A.S. Abdulamir, Z. Sekawi and A.B. Fatimah, 2009. Effect of
organic acids on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus contaminated meat.
The Open Microbiology Journal, 3: 121–127.
[11] Van Netten, P., J.H. Huisin't Veld and D.A. Mossel, 1994. The immediate bactericidal
effect of lactic acid on meat-borne pathogens. Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 77: 490–496.

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