The present invention provides starchy food products, especially cooked and fully
hydrated potato compositions, including fully hydrated mashed potato compositions
and fully hydrated cut potato compositions, which are stabilized against the development
of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants. The stabilized compositions are
attained by the incorporation of nisin-containing dairy composition derived from
a nisin-producing culture. The invention also relates to methods of stabilizing
starchy food products, especially cooked and fully hydrated potato compositions,
including fully hydrated mashed potato compositions and fully hydrated cut potato
compositions, against the development of toxins, wherein the method comprises incorporating
nisin-containing dairy composition derived from a nisin-producing culture to the
starchy food product. Since these compositions are cooked and fully hydrated prior
to packaging, the ultimate consumer only needs to briefly heat the starchy food
product in, for example, a conventional or microwave oven prior to consumption.