Microbial contamination occurring on lamb carcasses processed in the United States.
Lamb carcasses (n = 5,042) were sampled from six major lamb packing facilities in the United States over 3 days during each of two visits (fall or winter, October through February; spring, March through June) in order to develop a microbiological baseline for the incidence (presence or absence) of Salmonella spp. and for populations of Escherichia coli after 24 h of chilling following slaughter. Samples also were analyzed for aerobic plate counts (APC) and total coliform counts (TCC). Additionally, incidence (presence or absence) of Campylobacter jejuni/coli on lamb carcasses (n = 2,226) was, determined during the slaughtering process and in the cooler. All samples were obtained by sponge-sampling the muscle-adipose tissue surface of the flank, breast, and leg of lamb carcasses (100 cm2 per site; 300 cm2 total). Incidence of Salmonella spp. in samples collected from chilled carcasses was 1.5% for both seasons combined, with 1.9% and 1.2% of fall or winter and spring samples being positive, respectively. Mean (log CFU/cm2) APC, TCC, and E. coli counts (ECC) on chilled lamb carcasses across both seasons were 4.42, 1.18, and 0.70, respectively. APC were lower (P < 0.05) in samples collected in the spring versus fall or winter, while TCC were higher in samples collected in the spring. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between ECC from samples collected in the spring versus winter. Only 7 out of 2,226 total samples (0.3%) tested positive for C. jejuni/coli, across all sampling sites. These results should be useful to the lamb industry and regulatory authorities as new regulatory requirements for meat inspection become effective.
Duffy
E A
EA
Colorado State University, Center for Red Meat Safety, Department of Animal Sciences, Fort Collins 80523-1171, USA.
Belk
K E
KE
Sofos
J N
JN
LeValley
S B
SB
Kain
M L
ML
Tatum
J D
JD
Smith
G C
GC
Kimberling
C V
CV
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005511:Food Handling; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006920:Hygiene; D015994:Incidence; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D014481:United States