Contamination levels of Clostridium estertheticum spores that result in gaseous spoilage of vacuum-packaged chilled beef and lamb meat.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the contamination levels of Cl. estertheticum spores that result in gaseous spoilage of vacuum-packaged chilled meats, beef and lamb, stored at two different temperatures, -1.5 and 2 degrees C.


RESULTS
The study consisted of two separate trials using the same processing parameters applied to beef and lamb at two different storage temperatures and six different inoculation concentrations of Cl. estertheticum. A threshold for pack blowing of c. 1 spore per vacuum pack was seen with both beef and lamb stored at -1.5 and 2 degrees C. These results highlight the detrimental effect that increasing Cl. estertheticum spore inoculum concentration has on the onset of blown pack spoilage for both meat species stored at -1.5 and 2 degrees C.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that storage temperature is an extremely important parameter influencing the onset of blown pack spoilage and that storing meat at -1.5 degrees C significantly delays the onset of blown pack spoilage in comparison with storage at 2 degrees C.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that 1 Cl. estertheticum spore may present a risk of spoilage, and thus hygienic carcass dressing is critical to keep contamination to a minimum and maximize storage life of the vacuum-packed chilled product.
Clemens
R M
RM
Food Safety FMM, AgResearch, Ruakura Campus, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Adam
K H
KH
Brightwell
G
G
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003013:Clostridium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling; D018857:Food Packaging; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D012756:Sheep; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification