Treatment of refrigerated pre-cooked egg food products

A method for preparing a refrigerated pre-cooked egg food product, the method comprising:

• combining a liquid egg material with an antibacterial composition comprising nisin, citric acid, and a secondary organic acid or salt to form a liquid egg formulation, the liquid egg formulation comprising
• nisin in an amount of about 6.25 ppm or less,
• citric acid, and
• a secondary organic acid or a salt thereof that is suitable for use in food, the secondary organic acid having a pKa of from about 3.5 to about 8;
• heating the liquid egg formulation to form the pre-cooked egg food product, wherein the citric acid, and the secondary organic acid or salt are provided in the liquid egg formulation in an amount sufficient to form a pre-cooked egg food product having a pH of from about 5.5 to about 6.3;
• packaging the pre-cooked egg food product;
• and
• storing the packaged pre-cooked egg food product under refrigerated conditions for a period of time prior to consumption,
• wherein the antibacterial composition is combined with the liquid egg material in an amount effective to limit the average growth of Listeria to less than 2 log in the packaged pre-cooked egg food product during refrigeration for at least about 40 days.