Abattoir sources of psychrophilic clostridia causing blown pack spoilage of vacuum-packed chilled meats determined by culture-based and molecular detection procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the abattoir source(s) of psychrophilic clostridia causing 'blown pack' spoilage of vacuum-packed chilled meats.


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.


CONCLUSIONS
The paper provides information critical for controlling blown pack spoilage in commercial meat-processing plants.
Boerema
J A
JA
AgResearch, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Broda
D M
DM
Bell
R G
RG
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D003013:Clostridium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D005506:Food Contamination; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep; D014618:Vacuum
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S