The meat and poultry industries use a multi-hurdle approach to food safety. Antimicrobial dips and sprays aid in food safety by being one of those interventions used to reduce and limit microorganisms, pathogens and potentially harmful bacteria that may be on the animals. As such, antimicrobial dips and sprays lower the chance of consumers becoming ill from meat and poultry products.
Antimicrobial dips and sprays are one intervention area that continues to be under development, but for a long time several antimicrobials have held a stronghold in this area, says Sid Cunningham, director of food safety and quality assurance at Harris Ranch Beef Co., Selma, Calif. In the beef industry, lactic acid and peroxyacetic acid are two that have been well-recognized as having great efficacy and are widely used.