The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced it will add liquid sodium propionate to the list of approved antimicrobials for use in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) meat and poultry products.

The amended regulation, effective May 6, 2013, will allow RTE meat and poultry manufacturers to use Kemin Industries’ liquid antimicrobial, BactoCEASE, as an alternative to traditional lactates without an in-plant waiver. Until now, lactates have been the primary option for controlling Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can be deadly and proven difficult to control in RTE meat and poultry. Research studies have shown that lactates perform inconsistently in controlling foodborne pathogens in deli meats.