Potassium lactate and sodium diacetate slowed Listeria growth in cold-smoked salmon
What it found
A mix of potassium lactate and sodium diacetate slowed the growth of Listeria bacteria in vacuum-packed smoked salmon for up to 42 days.
Tasters found no change in flavor or smell.
What they found
Studies in people
Taste and smell unchanged
People who tasted and smelled the treated salmon found that the preservatives did not negatively affect its flavor or odor.
Animal and lab studies
Slowing Listeria in fish
In lab tests on smoked salmon, 2.1% potassium lactate with 0.12% sodium diacetate delayed Listeria growth for up to 42 days at 10 degrees C. Lower amounts still slowed the bacteria down.
Warm storage test
When the treated salmon was kept at 25 degrees C for 6 hours, Listeria levels rose by only a small amount (a 1-log CFU/g increase).
Other findings
Mixing limits with salt
The researchers could not add more than 2% potassium lactate while keeping at least 3% salt in the finished product. The potassium lactate made it harder for the salt to dissolve.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that combining potassium lactate and sodium diacetate is a workable way to prevent Listeria growth on cold-smoked salmon.
- Their results show this method fits easily into the brining technology that fish processors already use.
How it was done
Listeria bacteria can grow in ready-to-eat fish like cold-smoked salmon, which is a food safety concern. The researchers wanted to see if these compounds could slow that growth using methods processors already use.
Researchers injected salmon fillets with salt water brine mixed with potassium lactate and either sodium acetate or sodium diacetate. They stored the vacuum-packed fish at 10 degrees C for up to 42 days and checked bacterial growth. They also had people taste and smell the treated fish.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These tests were done on fish products in controlled settings, so they cannot show how well this works across all types of packaged foods.
- The tasting panel judged flavor and smell, but this does not measure any long-term health effects from eating these preservatives.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, Denmark
The paper
- Title
- Potassium lactate combined with sodium diacetate can inhibit growth of Listeria monocytogenes in vacuum-packed cold-smoked salmon and has no adverse sensory effects
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Vogel BF, Ng YY, Hyldig G, Mohr M, Gram L (2006). Potassium lactate combined with sodium diacetate can inhibit growth of Listeria monocytogenes in vacuum-packed cold-smoked salmon and has no adverse sensory effects. Journal of food protection. doi:10.4315/0362-028x-69.9.2134PubMed 16995515DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error