title: A survey of the microbiological quality of kangaroo carcasses processed for human consumption in two processing plants in Queensland, Australia.
abstract: An investigation of the microbiological quality of kangaroo carcasses at two Queensland processing plants was carried out. A total of 836 whole muscle samples were taken, 801 from plant A and 35 from plant B. Samples were analyzed for aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella. The mean adjusted aerobic plate count (APC) was 2.8 log CFU/g, and counts at the 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles were 4.2, 4.9, and 6.4 log CFU/g, respectively. The maximum number of bacteria recovered was 6.5 log CFU/g. E. coli was detected in 13.9% of samples, for which the adjusted mean was 0.7 log CFU/g, and counts at the 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles were 1.4, 2.0, and 3.0 log CFU/g, respectively. Salmonella was detected in 0.84% of samples. There was no significant relationship (P < 0.05) between season and APC or E. coli count. There was a significant relationship (P < 0.001) between Salmonella prevalence and summer. The microbiological quality of Queensland kangaroo carcasses is similar to that obtained during other excision-based studies of kangaroo, wild boar, and beef carcasses.
authors.affiliation: EML Consulting Services QLD, 1/148 Tennyson Memorial Avenue, Tennyson, Queensland 4105, Australia. sofroni@eml.com.au
authors.forename: Sofroni
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eglezos
authors.forename: Bixing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stuttard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011786:Quality Control; D011793:Queensland; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012621:Seasons