title: Direct molecular approach to monitoring bacterial colonization on vacuum-packaged beef.
abstract: Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis allowed us to monitor total bacterial communities and to establish a pattern of succession between species in vacuum-packaged beef stored at 2 and 8 degrees C for 9 weeks and 14 days. Species-specific PCR was used to confirm the presence of Lactobacillus sakei and Lactobacillus curvatus. Multiplex PCRs using 16S rRNA-specific primers allowed differentiation between Leuconostoc species. These methods provided the desired information about microbial diversity by detecting the main microorganisms capable of colonizing this ecological niche.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, CERELA (CONICET), Chacabuco 145, T4000ILC Tucumán, Argentina.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Pier Sandro
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Cocconcelli
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vignolo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000379:methods*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007934:Leuconostoc / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014618:Vacuum