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The aerobic psychrotrophic populations on meat and meat contact surfaces in a meat production system and on meat stored at chill temperatures
Author(s) -
Nortjé G.L.,
Nel Linda,
Jordaan Erika,
Badenhorst Karin,
Goedhart Erna,
Holzapfel W.H.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1990.tb02883.x
Subject(s) - alcaligenes , moraxella , acinetobacter , food science , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , gram positive cocci , meat packing industry , bacteria , psychrotrophic bacteria , pseudomonas , shelf life , staphylococcus aureus , antibiotics , genetics
At a city abattoir, a wholesaler and 10 different supermarkets, surface microbiological samples were taken of carcasses, hands and apron fronts of members of staff and equipment (mincers and saws). In addition, minced meat, packaged and displayed in chilled cabinets, was also sampled. Carcasses, personnel surfaces and equipment were monitored by a modified agar sausage technique. From each of the highest dilution psychrotrophic plate counts, five colonies were selected randomly, isolated and identified (1265 in total). Microbes developing on chilled meat were also isolated from other surfaces in the production chain. On chilled meat (51%) and at the abattoir (36%) pseudomonads were the predominant organisms followed by the Gram‐positive cocci on chilled meat and by Acinetobacter, Moraxella and Alcaligenes spp. at the abattoir. At the wholesaler Gram‐positive cocci (32%) predominated, followed by Alcaligenes, Moraxella and Alcaligenes spp. Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Neisseriaceae and related genera, Gram‐positive cocci, species from the coryneform groups of bacteria and yeasts were identified from all the surfaces monitored. Identification with the API NE20 was unsatisfactory. Enterbacteriaceae, lactobacilli and endospore‐forming bacteria were identified occasionally, but their significance as contaminating organisms seems low. No Salmonella spp. were identified. and accepted 25 July 1989