A national survey of the microbiological quality of retail raw meats in Australia.
A national survey of the microbiology of meat (ground beef and diced lamb) at the retail level in Australia was undertaken. For ground beef samples (n = 360), the mean aerobic plate count (APC) was 5.79 log CFU/g, and Escherichia coli was detected in 17.8% of samples; the mean population for these positive samples was 1.49 log CFU/g. Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 96.9% of samples (mean for positive samples, 3.01 log CFU/g), and coagulase-positive staphylococci were detected in 28.1% of samples (mean for positive samples, 2.18 log CFU/g). For diced lamb samples (n = 360), the mean APC was 5.71 log CFU/g, and E. coli was detected in 16.7% of samples (mean for positive samples, 1.67 log CFU/g). Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 91.1% of samples (mean for positive samples, 2.85 log CFU/g), and coagulase-positive staphylococci were detected in 22.5% of samples (mean for positive samples, 2.34 log CFU/g). Salmonella was recovered from 4 (1.1%) of the 360 ground beef samples (isolates were Salmonella Typhimurium phage types), and E. coli O157 was recovered from 1 (0.3%) of 357 samples; Campylobacter and Clostridium perfringens were not recovered from any of the 91 and 94 samples tested, respectively. Salmonella was recovered from 2 (0.6%) of the 360 diced lamb samples (serovars were Salmonella Infantis and Salmonella Typhimurium), Campylobacter was recovered from 1 (1.1%) of 95 samples, and C. perfringens was recovered from 1 (1.1%) of 92 samples.
Phillips
David
D
Symbio Alliance, P.O. Box 4312, Eight Mile Plains, Queensland, Australia 4113. dphillips@symbioalliance.com.au
Jordan
David
D
Morris
Stephen
S
Jenson
Ian
I
Sumner
John
J
D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002417:Cattle; D003013:Clostridium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D012475:Salmonella / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012756:Sheep