Effect of a Natural Antimicrobial on Ground Beef Microbial Safety

Applying natural antimicrobials in ground beef has gained increasing attention as a strategy to enhance food safety. This study evaluated the efficacy of natural, cinnamon-based antimicrobials in reducing microbial loads in ground beef stored under refrigeration for three days. The research was conducted at the International Center for Food Industry Excellence (ICFIE) at Texas Tech University. The study was conducted in two phases. In chapter II, an inoculation study was performed on raw, chilled beef trimmings to assess the reduction of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella using a natural antimicrobial at three different concentrations (5%, 7.5, and 10%). Microbial enumeration was conducted using selective agar plating, and counts were recorded on Days 0, 1, and 3 to evaluate bacterial survival and reduction over time. All antimicrobial treatments resulted in a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella immediately after application (Day 0). Chapter 3 assessed the natural antimicrobial effect (5% a 10%) on microbial load indicators using standard microbiological enumeration methods (Petrifilm™) in refrigerated ground beef to analyze microbial populations. Aerobic plate counts (APC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and E. coli (EC) were assessed on Days 0, 1, 2, and 3. Treated samples showed significant microbial reductions (p < 0.05), particularly on Day 0. Aerobic plate counts and LAB levels increased over time in the control and 5% treatment groups, while the 10% treatment demonstrated the most consistent bacterial inhibition. The 5% concentration also contributed to microbial suppression, particularly in maintaining lower EB and EC levels than the control. These findings demonstrate that cinnamon-based antimicrobial interventions can effectively reduce microbial loads in ground beef. While the treatment provided significant initial reductions, no residual antimicrobial effect was observed beyond the initial application. These results suggest that natural antimicrobials could serve as an effective intervention for pathogen reduction in ground beef, offering a potential strategy to enhance food safety without compromising product integrity.