In vivo and in vitro effects of selected antioxidants on rabbit meat microbiota.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin E or EconomasE™ supplementation on the growth of several background/pathogenic bacteria on rabbit carcasses and hamburgers during refrigerated storage. For 51 days, 270 New Zealand rabbits received either a basal diet, or experimental diets enriched with 100 or 200 mg/kg of vitamin E or EconomasE™. The bacteria studied were Salmonella , Listeria monocytogenes , Pseudomonas , Enterobacteriaceae , Escherichia coli , coagulase-positive staphylococci, plus both mesophilic and psychrotrophic aerobes. The growth of Listeria monocytogenes on contaminated patties was evaluated through a challenge test. The potential protective or antimicrobial effect of vitamin E or EconomasE™ on Listeria monocytogenes or Pseudomonas aeruginosa was assessed in vitro . Diet did not influence the concentrations of bacteria found on rabbit carcasses and developing on hamburgers. Vitamin E ( in vivo and in vitro ) and EconomasE™ in vivo had a protective antioxidant role, while EconomasE™ in vitro had strong antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, but not against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]