title: Characterization of a potentially novel 'blown pack' spoilage bacterium isolated from bovine hide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize a psychrotrophic bacterium, designated TC1, previously isolated from a cattle hide in Ireland, and to investigate the ability of this strain to cause 'blown pack' spoilage (BPS) of vacuum-packaged beef primals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TC1 was characterized using a combination of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic analyses and was assessed for its ability to spoil vacuum-packaged beef at refrigerated temperatures. TC1 was Gram-positive and formed elliptical subterminal endospores. The strain was able to grow between 0 and 33 °C, with optimal growth between 23 and 24 °C. TC1 could be differentiated from its phylogenetically closest neighbour (Clostridium lituseburense DSM 797(T)) by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and cellular fatty acid composition. TC1 spoiled (BPS) beef within 42 days when inoculated in cold-stored (1 °C) vacuum-packed beef.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic characterization indicated that TC1 may represent a potentially novel, cold-tolerant, gas-producing bacterium of considerable economic significance to the beef industry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reports and characterizes an emerging BPS bacterium, which should be considered in future activities designed to minimize the psychrophilic and psychrotrophic spoilage of vacuum-packaged beef.
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Department, Ashtown Food Research Centre, Teagasc, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moschonas
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bolton
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology; D003013:Clostridium / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D005506:Food Contamination; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D005838:Genotype; D007494:Ireland; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S