Sorbic acid is an efficient preservative in pea-based meat analogues

The popularity of plant-based alternatives to meat has increased due to advancements in important attributes such as taste. Using adequate processing at elevated temperatures combined with aseptic packaging, especially in combination with storage below the freezing point, microbial hazards in these products are negligible. However, for plant-based alternatives to ham, sausages, spreads, or cheese, for example, on sandwiches, the product must withstand microbial growth in the fridge after breaking the seal of the food packaging, as everything is not typically consumed directly. Currently, there are few preservations methods, but one solution is adding weak acid preservatives, with less inherent health concerns compared to sulfites and nitrite, e.g. carcinogenicity and hypersensitivity. To be fully effective an acidic pH is required. In this study, an approach where sausage-resembling meat analogues with different pHs (4.14–5.56) were prepared without preservatives, with potassium sorbate (2000 mg/kg), or sodium disulfite (200 mg/kg), and thereafter subjected to standardised challenge tests to elucidate the efficacy. Sorbate was the only preservative effective to prevent growth of all tested organisms, Penicillium roqueforti , Pichia fermentans and Listeria monocytogenes . The identified superiority of sorbate compared to other tested preservatives is relevant knowledge when developing preservation strategies for other types of meat analogues. • The food safety challenges in meat analogues can be handled with potassium sorbate. • At acidic pH, sorbic acid effectively protects food products from microbial growth. • Challenge tests is an efficient method to evaluate preservation strategies.