Microbiological Quality of Commercial Frozen Minced Fish Blocks

1978 ◽  
Vol 41 (12) ◽  
pp. 948-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSEPH J. LICCIARDELLO ◽  
WILMA S. HILL

Two hundred and eight commercial blocks of imported frozen minced fish examined for aerobic plate count, fecal coliforms, and coagulase-positive staphylococci were found to be in compliance with the proposed standards of the International Commission on the Microbiological Specifications for Foods. There was no significant correlation between aerobic plate count (35 C) and certain indicator organisms (coliforms, fecal streptococci, and coagulase-positive staphylococci).

1981 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 821-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. P. TIWARI ◽  
V. W. KADIS

A total of 124 delicatessen meat products were analysed for microbiological quality shortly after purchase and following storage at 22 C for 24 h. Sixty-seven of these products were portion packages and 57 were cuts from bulk products. Coliforms, coagulase-positive staphylococci and Clostridium perfringens contamination was low. Salmonella was not detected in any of the samples. Initially, 34.3% of the portion-packed and 24.5% of bulk cuts contained more than 107 total aerobic plate count per g and, following storage this proportion increased to 62.7% and 57.9%, respectively. Eight samples (11.9%) of portion-packed and seven samples (12.3%) of bulk cuts contained more than 107 psychrotrophs per g initially. After storage, 35% of both types of products yielded >107 psychrotrophs per g. Significant levels of fecal streptococci and yeasts were also isolated from many of these products, indicating need for improvement in manufacturing procedures and retail storage conditions. However, the results of this investigation indicated that chances of a public health hazard from delicatessen meat products would be low.


1984 ◽  
Vol 47 (11) ◽  
pp. 876-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. O. SNYDER ◽  
M. E. MATTHEWS

Microbiological quality of menu items prepared by cook/chill, cook/freeze, cook/hot-hold and heat/serve methods for producing and storing menu items in foodservice systems is reviewed. Of the 40 studies, 21 focused on the cook/chill method and two on the heat/serve. Nine studies on the microbiological quality of delicatessen and fast food were also reviewed. Microbiological evaluation included total plate count, mesophilic aerobic plate count, psychrotrophic aerobic plate count, streptococcal count, staphylococcal count, clostridial count, coliforms, fecal coliforms, yeast and mold, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Clostridium sporogenes, Streptococcus faecium, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus spp., coagulase-positive staphylococci, fecal streptococci and Salmonella. In 29 of the studies, heat was applied to menu items at one or more process steps - initial heating, hot-holding and/or final heating. Initial heating temperatures for entrees ranged from 45 to 90°C, while final heating temperatures ranged from 23 to 98°C. Times ranged from 15 to 90 min for initial heating and 0.33 to 35 min for final heating. Continued research is needed to provide data on effects of time and temperature on the microbiological quality of menu items. Such data will provide foodservice practitioners with adequate assurance that chosen thermal processing methods destroy microorganisms of public health significance.


2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 1113-1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID PHILLIPS ◽  
DAVID JORDAN ◽  
STEPHEN MORRIS ◽  
IAN JENSON ◽  
JOHN SUMNER

The third national baseline microbiological survey of Australian beef carcasses and frozen boneless beef was conducted in 2004. Carcasses (n = 1,155) sampled at 27 slaughter establishments had a mean aerobic plate count (at 25°C) of 1.3 log CFU/cm2. Escherichia coli was isolated from 8.0% of the carcasses, with a mean count of −0.8 log CFU/cm2 for positive samples. On samples from 24 boning (fabrication) plants (n = 1,082), the mean aerobic plate count for frozen boneless beef was 1.3 log CFU/g, and the mean count for the 1.8% of samples with detectable E. coli was 1.5 log CFU/g. E. coli O157: H7 was isolated from 1 of 1,143 carcasses and from 0 of 1,082 boneless samples. Salmonella was isolated from 0 of 1,155 carcasses and from 1 of 1,082 samples of boneless product. No Campylobacter spp. were isolated from carcasses or boneless beef. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were isolated from 28.7% of beef carcasses and 20.3% of boneless beef samples, and positive samples had a mean count of 0.3 log CFU/cm2 and 0.8 log CFU/g, respectively.


1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. G. WILSON ◽  
J. C. N. HEANEY ◽  
S. T. C. WEATHERUP

A survey of unopened ice cream, ice cream in use, and ice-cream-scoop water (n=91) was conducted to determine the effect of scoop water hygiene on the microbiological quality of ice cream. An aerobic plate count around 106 c.f.u. ml−1 was the modal value for scoop waters. Unopened ice creams generally had counts around 103–104 c.f.u. ml−1 and this increased by one order of magnitude when in use. Many scoop waters had low coliform counts, but almost half contained >100 c.f.u. ml−1. E. coli was isolated in 18% of ice creams in use, and in 10% of unopened ice creams. S. aureus was not detected in any sample. Statistical analysis showed strong associations between indicator organisms and increased counts in ice cream in use. EC guidelines for indicator organisms in ice cream were exceeded by up to 56% of samples.


2011 ◽  
Vol 74 (10) ◽  
pp. 1762-1768 ◽  
Author(s):  
MOUNA BOULARES ◽  
LOBNA MEJRI ◽  
MNASSER HASSOUNA

Eighty samples of fresh fish were collected in Tunisia and analyzed for microbial load. Quality and hygienic safety of the meat and intestines of wild and aquacultured fresh fish were determined. The mesophilic aerobic plate count and populations of psychrotrophic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and other psychrotrophic bacteria ranged from 5.67 to 7.29, 4.51 to 6, and 5.07 to 6.21 log CFU/g, respectively. For all microbiological determinations, bacterial counts were lower in meat than in the intestines of fresh fish. For all samples lower microbial populations were found in most of the wild fish than in the aquacultured fish. No isolates of the pathogenic genera Salmonella and Listeria were detected in any sample. Among the 160 strains of biopreservative psychrotrophic LAB and the 150 strains of spoilage psychrotrophic gram-negative bacteria identified by biochemical and molecular methods, Lactobacillus (six species) and Pseudomonas (six species) predominated. Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Carnobacterium (C. piscicola and C. divergens), Aeromonas, and Photobacterium were the most common genera, and Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Aeromonas hydrophila were the most common species. These findings indicate that the microbiological quality of fresh fish in Tunisia can be preserved by controlling pathogenic and psychrotrophic bacteria.


1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 385-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. JANE WYATT ◽  
V. GUY

A sanitation profile scoring form for evaluating sanitation in retail food stores was designed. The profile was tested in 10 Oregon retail markets to evaluate its ability to reflect sanitary conditions. At the time of inspection, samples of meat processed in-store were purchased for microbiological analysis to explore the feasibility of bacterial quality as a measurement of sanitary conditions. Microbiological tests performed included total aerobic plate count (A PC), coliform, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and Salmonella. Certain deficiencies were noted in the profile designed; however, it provides a means for objective, uniform measurement of sanitary conditions. Data show no correlation exists between microbiological quality of products processed in the store and total store profile sanitary conditions. Fifty percent of the products sampled exceeded bacterial load guidelines currently enforced in Oregon. These “high” counts appear to be directly related to poor temperature control.


2008 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 1232-1236 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID PHILLIPS ◽  
DAVID JORDAN ◽  
STEPHEN MORRIS ◽  
IAN JENSON ◽  
JOHN SUMNER

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.


1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 679-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Y. D'AOUST ◽  
R. GELINAS ◽  
C. MAISHMENT

The efficacy of two methods for detection of Salmonella in 29 fish and 312 shellfish samples was evaluated, using replicate samples (100 g) of food homogenate. In method A, samples were preenriched 3 h in lactose broth, selectively enriched overnight in selenite cystine (35 C) and plated on brilliant green sulfa, xylose lysine desoxycholate and Hektoen enteric agar media. In method B, overnight nutrient broth cultures were enriched in tetrathionate brilliant green (43 C) and selenite cystine (35 C) broths and plated on brilliant green sulfa and bismuth sulfite agar media. Salmonella was recovered from seven (3%) shrimp samples of which six were detected by method B alone; the single positive sample detected by method A was negative by method B. Infected shrimp samples did not harbor coagulase-positive staphylococci, and aerobic plate counts ranged from 105 to 107 cells/g; two of the seven positive samples contained no detectable Escherichia coli. Our results suggest that short preenrichment incubation periods are not reliable and that tetrathionate brilliant green is superior to selenite cystine for effective recovery of Salmonella in shellfish. Coliforms are not reliable as an index of microbiological quality of fish and shellfish.


1983 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 572-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
RABIA ZUBERI ◽  
R. B. QADRI ◽  
PIRZADA M. A. SIDDIQUI

Line and finished product samples (668) from two shrimp processing plants located at the Karachi fish harbor were collected and examined bacteriologically. Frozen shrimp samples (100) collected from Plant A had the following bacterial profile: average (geometric) total aerobic plate count 9.4 × 106 CFU/g; MPN coliforms 94/g; and MPN fecal coliforms 41/g. The bacterial profile of 114 frozen shrimp samples from Plant B were 8.3 × 106 CFU/g, 180/g and 133/g for total plate count, MPN coliform and MPN fecal coliforms, respectively. Samples (126) of raw and laboratory-processed (simulating commercial processing) shrimp were also examined. Processing conditions of Plant A were better and resulted in a better quality end-product as compared to that of Plant B. Three of 338 samples from Plant B yielded Salmonella. The composition of microbial flora was nearly the same for both species of shrimps from both plants. Pseudomonads were the predominant microflora followed by Micrococcus sp. When shrimp were handled expeditiously under good sanitary conditions in the laboratory, the bacterial counts were significantly lower than on shrimp from the plants. Laboratory-processed shrimp had an average (geometric) total aerobic plate count of 8.1 × 105 CFU/g and average (geometric) coliform and fecal coliform MPNs were <3/g.


1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 769-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. HACKNEY ◽  
B. RAY ◽  
M. L. SPECK

Microbiological analyses of 716 seafood samples over a 3-year period revealed that the microbiological quality of fresh seafood in North Carolina was generally acceptable. The mean aerobic counts (APC) and fecal coliform counts were low as was the occurrence of enteric pathogens, except for Vibrio parahaemolyticus and coagulase-positive staphylococci. Salmonella species were isolated from three samples, but the fecal coliform counts of these samples far exceeded the shellfish standard of the United States Food and Drug Administration. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were isolated in low numbers from nearly all the different types of seafoods; unpasteurized crabmeat and head-peeled shrimp samples showed the highest counts (10% of these samples had numbers which exceeded 100/g). V. parahaemolyticus occurred frequently in fresh seafood (overall 46% of the samples were positive) and its numbers showed a definite seasonal variation. No positive statistical correlation was found between the numbers of V. parahaemolyticus and the bacteriological indices, such as coliforms, fecal coliforms, enterococci and APC. Processing practices were found to influence the occurrence of V. parahaemolvticus in seafood; for example, improperly cleaned flumes were found to be a reservoir for V. parahaemolyticus in mechanical scallop processing plants. Also ‘picking’ waste ‘containers’ were found to be sources of V. parahaemolyticus in crab processing plants. Some processing practices such as heat shocking of oysters to facilitate opening were found to reduce the numbers of V. parahaemolyticus. Fifty V. parahaemolyticus isolates from different seafoods were tested for their Kanagawa reaction and all were found to be negative.


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