Preliminary Evaluation of the Efficacy of Two Sources of Potassium Lactate in Breakfast Sausage Pork Products (Links, Patties, Rolls)

Processed meat products benefit from potassium lactate because it serves as an antimicrobial agent, humectant, and quality-enhancer. The study assessed how potassium lactate from two different sources (an Alternative and a Commercial Control) affects the microbial stability, physicochemical properties, and sensory characteristics of pork sausage products, including links, patties, and rolls over refrigerated storage time. The sausage products were prepared at the Gordon W. Davis Meat Laboratory, according to the commercial formulations and processing guidelines. At three production stages (beginning at 1 min interval, middle at 2.5 min interval, and end at 5 min interval), samples were collected from a batch, and a portion of it was inoculated with Bactoferm F-RM-52 cultures exclusively for LAB growth. Links, patties, and rolls were prepared, packaged, and put in cardboard boxes. They were stored at 4°C for 25 days for patties and links and 45 days for rolls. The TEMPO enumeration system and 3M Petrifilm plates showed that both potassium lactate from both sources provided equal antimicrobial protection for pork sausage products with no significant differences (p> 0.05) under refrigeration for APC, PC, LAB, and LAB-inoculated, with a slight advantage for the Alternative treatment against EC in rolls. Yeast and molds remained below <3 log CFU/g throughout storage. The composition changes that occurred in potassium and ash (p< 0.05) demonstrated that potassium lactate acts as a potassium source and a buffering agent, thereby increasing the ionic strength of the meat matrix observed with the Alternative treatment. The color stability tests demonstrated that both potassium lactate sources maintained equivalent color preservation, which proved that the Alternative source did not damage the appearance of the sausage products. The TBARS test results showed that both potassium lactate treatments maintained low lipid oxidation levels throughout the entire storage period. A trained panel that conducted sensory evaluation concluded that the Alternative-treated samples maintained superior juiciness and flavor stability than the control samples. Overall, the research demonstrated that potassium lactate enhances microbial stability and preserves sensory attributes, stabilizes color, reduce lipid oxidation, and extends sausage product shelf life regardless of its source, which enables meat processors to select cost-effective alternatives without compromising product quality.