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Abattoir sources of psychrophilic clostridia causing blown pack spoilage of vacuum‐packed chilled meats determined by culture‐based and molecular detection procedures
Author(s) -
Boerema J.A.,
Broda D.M.,
Bell R.G.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-765x.2003.01332.x
Subject(s) - psychrophile , clostridia , food spoilage , food science , mesophile , vacuum packing , clostridiaceae , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , chemistry , toxin , genetics
Aims: To identify the abattoir source(s) of psychrophilic clostridia causing ‘blown pack’ spoilage of vacuum‐packed chilled meats. Methods and Results: Molecular procedures were used to detect the presence of specific 16S rRNA gene fragments of blown pack‐causing clostridia in samples collected from a commercial abattoir and its environs. Blown pack‐causing clostridia were consistently detected in hide, soil and faecal samples, as well as in samples collected at slaughter plant locations associated with handling of animals and animal carcasses prior to pelt removal. Conclusions: The data indicate that pelts per se or soil particles/faecal material attached thereto are the most probable primary reservoir of blown pack clostridia in the abattoir. Significance and Impact of the Study: The paper provides information critical for controlling blown pack spoilage in commercial meat‐processing plants.