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ENUMERATION OF AEROMONAS FOR VERIFICATION OF THE HYGIENIC ADEQUACY OF SWINE CARCASS DRESSING PROCESSES 1
Author(s) -
YU SHEWLING,
PALUMBO SAMUEL A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of food safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4565
pISSN - 0149-6085
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4565.2000.tb00287.x
Subject(s) - aeromonas , aeromonas hydrophila , aerobic bacteria , biology , bacteria , contamination , veterinary medicine , enumeration , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , mathematics , ecology , medicine , genetics , combinatorics
Populations of Aeromonas spp. and aerobic bacteria from dehairing equipment and from carcasses passing through different processing steps in a swine slaughtering plant were evaluated to identify the hygienic risks of each operation. Sponge samples were taken from the scraper flails in dehairing machines and the surface of the shackling table at pre‐ and post‐operation times, with 20 samples from each location being collected at each time. Increased post‐operation levels of Aeromonas spp. indicated a buildup and possible spread of these bacteria to carcasses. The belly skins of 40 dehaired carcasses were each sampled at five points along the process line which were after the shackling, after the final singeing, after the final polishing, after the final wash and after chilling. The levels of microbial contaminants on carcasses varied at each processing step. The heaviest contamination of carcasses with Aeromonas (1.88 log CFU/cm 2 ) and aerobic bacteria (2.66 log CFU/cm 2 ) occurred after shackling. Counts were reduced at other steps as a result of singeing, washing and chilling operations. However, singed carcasses were recontaminated with Aeromonas and aerobic bacteria during the polishing operation. Aeromonas hydrophila were the most prominent motile aeromonads (74.1%) recovered at the plant. The findings for Aeromonas spp. were similar to those for aerobic bacteria (r 2 = 0.9995) which suggested that Aeromonas spp. are appropriate indicators for assessing carcass dressing processes.