The use of osmotic stress or desiccation in combination with 2% acetic acid reduced the numbers of Salmonella typhimurium or Listeria monocytogenes on beef tissue to a greater degree than the acid alone. Bacteria were osmotically stressed by NaCl, CaCl2, or sucrose solutions. Pre-washing with 20% NaCl followed by sanitizing with acetic acid reduced the numbers of S. typhimurium an additional 1.5-to 2-log cycles compared with acetic acid alone. Similar reductions were seen by allowing the tissue surfaces to dry before the application of the acid. Desiccation in combination with acetic acid was also effective in reducing the numbers of Enterobacteriaceae on inoculated beef carcasses.