title: Control of Brochothrix thermosphacta spoilage of pork adipose tissue using bacteriophages.
abstract: Adipose tissue discs were coinoculated with Brochothrix thermosphacta and homologous bacteriophages (phages) to determine the effects these had on phage multiplication, bacterial growth, and off-odor development during storage at 2 degrees C or under simulated retail display at 6 degrees C. In the presence of about 10(5) bacteria/cm2 and an equivalent number of phages, there was a 3-log increase in phage numbers and a 2-log decrease in bacterial numbers, and objectionable off-odors were suppressed during refrigerated storage. Up to 68% of the surviving bacterial population were resistant to phages. The storage life of adipose tissue could be increased from 4 days in controls to 8 days in phage-treated samples by preventing the development of off-odors associated with the growth of B. thermosphacta. Phages may provide a novel approach to extending the storage quality of chilled meats.
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, Alberta. greerg@em.agr.ca
authors.forename: G Gordon
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Greer
authors.forename: Bryan D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Dilts
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000502:physiology*; D005511:Food Handling; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D007777:Lactobacillaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D009812:Odorants; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors