Standardized Microbiological Sampling and Testing Procedures for the Beef Industry†

1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (7) ◽  
pp. 778-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
KELLY J. KARR ◽  
ELIZABETH A. E. BOYLE ◽  
CURTIS L. KASTNER ◽  
JAMES L. MARSDEN ◽  
RANDALL K. PHEBUS ◽  
...  

Standardized microbiological sampling and testing procedures were developed that can be used throughout the beef slaughter and processing industry to facilitate the collection and any desired compilation of comparative data. Twenty samples each from carcasses (brisket, flank, and rump areas combined); subprimal cuts (clods); lean trim; and cutting and/or conveyor surfaces were collected in three slaughter and processing operations, with the first operation being a preliminary trial and resulting in no reported data. Microbiological analyses for Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni/coli, total coliforms, E. coli Biotype I, and aerobic mesophilic bacteria (aerobic plate count, APC) were performed on all samples by an outside laboratory. The procedures developed were effective in allowing samples to be collected, shipped, and analyzed in the same manner for all operations. From a logistical standpoint, approximately 20 samples each of carcasses, clods, lean trim, and surfaces could be taken within 4 to 6 h by five people. Forty samples each of carcass, clod, lean trim, and conveyor surfaces from two plants tested negative for E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria spp., with the exception of L. monocytogenes being isolated from one carcass and one clod sample. APCs and total coliform counts were between 103 to 105 and 102 to 103 CFU/cm2 or CFU/g, respectively, for the 40 samples each of carcasses, clods, and lean trim. APCs for surface swab counts ranged from ≤ 10 to 103 CFU/cm2.

1995 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 1297-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIMOTHY D. SCHNELL ◽  
JOHN N. SOFOS ◽  
VIRGINIA G. LITTLEFIELD ◽  
J. BRAD MORGAN ◽  
BRENDA M. GORMAN ◽  
...  

Ten grain-fed steers or heifers were selected to be dehaired at slaughter, while another 10 cattle (of the same kind) were slaughtered and dressed without dehairing. The carcasses of these animals were evaluated for bacterial contamination (aerobic plate count [APC], total coliform count [TCC], Escherichia coli biotype I, and count and presence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes) after sampling from the brisket, flank, and inside round at each of three sites (after dehiding, after evisceration, and after final carcass washing). Visual defects (hairs and specks) and weight associated with trimmings were also evaluated. Overall, there were no major differences in APC, TCC, or E. coli counts between samples from dehaired cattle and those from conventionally slaughtered animals. Dehaired carcasses had fewer (P < 0.05) visible specks and fewer total carcass defects before trimming (but not after trimming) than did carcasses of conventionally slaughtered animals. There were fewer (P < 0.05) visible hairs both before and after trimming on dehaired carcasses than on conventionally slaughtered animals, and no hair clusters were observed on dehaired carcasses. The average amount of trimmings removed to meet zero tolerance specifications in carcasses of conventionally slaughtered cattle was almost double (2.7 versus 1.4 kg) that required on dehaired animals, but due to large variation among plant personnel involved with trimming the carcasses, the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). Overall, dehairing reduced visual contamination evident on beef carcasses but did not decrease the overall bacterial load.


2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 1456-1459 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. STOPFORTH ◽  
M. LOPES ◽  
J. E. SHULTZ ◽  
R. R. MIKSCH ◽  
M. SAMADPOUR

Fresh beef samples (n = 1,022) obtained from two processing plants in the Midwest (July to December 2003) were analyzed for levels of microbial populations (total aerobic plate count, total coliform count, and Escherichia coli count) and for the presence or absence of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. A fresh beef cut sample was a 360-g composite of 6-g portions excised from the surface of 60 individual representative cuts in a production lot. Samples of fresh beef cuts yielded levels of 4.0 to 6.2, 1.1 to 1.8, and 0.8 to 1.0 log CFU/g for total aerobic plate count, total coliform count, and E. coli count, respectively. There did not appear to be substantial differences or obvious trends in bacterial populations on different cuts. These data may be useful in establishing a baseline or a benchmark of microbiological levels of contamination of beef cuts. Mean incidence rates of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on raw beef cuts were 0.3 and 2.2%, respectively. Of the 1,022 samples analyzed, cuts testing positive for E. coli O157:H7 included top sirloin butt (0.9%) and butt, ball tip (2.1%) and for Salmonella included short loins (3.4%), strip loins (9.6%), rib eye roll (0.8%), shoulder clod (3.4%), and clod, top blade (1.8%). These data provide evidence of noticeable incidence of pathogens on whole muscle beef and raise the importance of such contamination on product that may be mechanically tenderized. Levels of total aerobic plate count, total coliform count, and E. coli count did not (P ≥ 0.05) appear to be associated with the presence of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on fresh beef cuts. E. O157:H7 was exclusively isolated from cuts derived from the sirloin area of the carcass. Salmonella was exclusively isolated from cuts derived from the chuck, rib, and loin areas of the carcass. Results of this study suggest that contamination of beef cuts may be influenced by the region of the carcass from which they are derived.


1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 780-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
TONG ZHAO ◽  
MICHAEL P. DOYLE

The fate of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 was determined in three different lots of commercial mayonnaise, including four different samples from a lot implicated in an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infection. The initial pH of the products ranged from 3.6 to 3.9. Products were inoculated with 6.5 × 103 E. coli O157:H7/g and incubated at 5 or 20°C. Escherichia coli O157:H7 did not grow at either temperature but survived for 34 to 55 days at 5°C and for 8 to 21 days at 20°C, depending on the lot. Survival was greatest in real mayonnaise purchased at retail among six mayonnaise samples which included a reduced calorie mayonnaise. Escherichia coli O157:H7 populations decreased between 2- and 100-fold by 3 weeks at 5°C, and between 10- and 1,000-fold by 7 days at 20°C. There was little or no change in pH (<0.1 unit), aerobic plate count, mold and yeast count or Lactobacillus count (< 1 log10 CFU/g) for the duration of the study. Commercial mayonnaise manufactured under good manufacturing practices is not a public health concern. Abusive handling of mayonnaise resulting in cross-contamination with E. coli O157:H7-contaminated food or contamination by an infected foodhandler is the principal basis for concern.


1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHERYL LAUBACH ◽  
JEFFREY RATHGEBER ◽  
ALAN OSER ◽  
SAMUEL PALUMBO

The microbiology of swine head meat was evaluated by comparing the levels of aerobic plate count (APC), coliforms, and Escherichia coli as well as the incidence and levels of Salmonella spp. in swine head meat harvested by either the old or a new improved procedure. Based on 144 samples (72 by each procedure), the levels of APC, coliforms, and E. coli were 4.52 ± 0.26, 2.37 ± 0.42, and 2.25 ± 0.42 log10 CFU/g respectively, regardless of the procedure used for harvesting the meat. The incidence (27/72 versus 28/72) and MPN levels (4 to 93 versus 4 to 1100) of Salmonella spp. determined by the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) methods also were the same for meat obtained using either the old or the new procedure. The BAM method detected a higher incidence of Salmonella spp. (55/144) than other methods, PCR (38/144; BAX, Du Pont) or DNA hybridization (41/144; Gene-Trak). Time of harvesting during the processing day or site of origin of the head meat (cheek versus tongue versus back of head) had no effect on the incidence of Salmonella spp. The data in this study indicate that the levels of bacteria encountered in swine head meat are a reflection of the harvesting procedures themselves, as well as levels in and around the head and oral cavity of swine.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E Casas

ObjectivesTo perform an in-plant validation of a lactic acid immersion (2–5%) intervention in 6 different subprimals on the fabrication floor.Materials and MethodsSwab samples (n = 324) were taken before and after intervention application from six different processing lines. Each subprimal had a 500 cm2 area swabbed using sterile materials. Each repetition included 18 samples per line, 9 before and 9 after intervention, for a total of 108 samples per repetition. Swab samples were immediately chilled and shipped overnight to the TTU Food Microbiology laboratory for microbial analysis. Samples were stomached at 230 rpm for 30 s and for each subprimal, 3 individual samples were composited into one. Serial dilutions were performed and 1ml of each composite was plated onto Enterobacteriaceae, aerobic plate count, Escherichia coli and coliform Petrifilms in duplicate. Counts were transformed into LogCFU/cm2 and statistical analysis was performed to determine differences between before and after treatment samples with a 0.05 probability threshold.ResultsMicrobial counts of all four microorganisms evaluated were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) after the lactic acid immersion (2–5%) intervention application in subprimals. Total coliform counts before and after treatment were 0.31 and 0.06 LogCFU/cm2, respectively. Enterobacteriaceae counts in the subprimals were in average 0.40 LogCFU/cm2 before interventions and 0.06 LogCFU/cm2 after intervention application. Overall aerobic plate counts were 1.77 LogCFU/cm2 before intervention and 1.14 LogCFU/cm2 after intervention. Generic E. coli counts after intervention were lower than the detection limit (< 1 CFU/20 cm2).ConclusionBased on data collected, it is reasonable to conclude that the lactic acid immersion intervention is effective in reducing common microbial indicators on subprimals inside the fabrication floor, improving the safety of the product.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-9
Author(s):  
Md Abdul Quaiyum ◽  
Md Mofizur Rahman ◽  
Bhakta Supratim Sarker ◽  
Md Masud Alam ◽  
Najmus Sakib Khan ◽  
...  

Present study was conducted to determine and quantify the occurrence of various types of microorganisms in raw and final products of Chapila (Gudusia chapra) and Tengra (Mystus vittatus) and also to enhance food safety with a view of promoting international trade. Raw and frozen Chapila and Tengra samleswere collected and the microbial analysis was conducted. In case of raw product of Chapila, the aerobic plate count (APC) was 2.6×105 cfu/g, whereas in frozen products, the load was estimated to be 4.0×105 cfu/g. Furthermore, while APC of raw Tengra was 2×105 cfu/g, the APCs were 3.3×106 cfu/g in frozen product. Total coliform in raw and frozen Chapila was found to be 36.00 ± 2.3 MPN/g and 7.2 ± 1.01 MPN/g, respectively and 27.00 ± 5.57 MPN/g and 9.4 ± 3.75 MPN/g, respectively were found in raw and frozen Tengra samples. Moreover, Fecal coliform in frozen samples of Chapila and Tengra was found within the acceptable limit (<3 MPN/g). Salmonella spp. and Vibrio cholerae were not detected in any of the raw and frozen Chapila and Tengra samples. Overall, the present study reveals that tested frozen fish samples from the fish processing plant were good enough for export and of better quality than raw fish samples from the microbiological point of view. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjm.v2i1.15203 Stamford Journal of Microbiology, Vol.2(1) 2012: 6-9


2010 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 2180-2188 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSEPH M. BOSILEVAC ◽  
NORASAK KALCHAYANAND ◽  
JOHN W. SCHMIDT ◽  
STEVEN D. SHACKELFORD ◽  
TOMMY L. WHEELER ◽  
...  

Currently used industry testing programs require the ability to detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 in samples of beef trim or ground beef at levels as low as 1 CFU/375 g. We present a reliable protocol for generating a control inoculum for verification testing at this low concentration and evaluate its use. Results show that half of all samples received no cells when 1 CFU was the target concentration and that targets greater than 3 CFU were much more reliable. Detection by culture isolation and two commercial assays, Qualicon BAX-MP and BioControl GDS, detected 94% ± 11%, 92% ± 10%, and 92% ± 7% of samples inoculated with 5.4 CFU (range 1 to 9 CFU), respectively. We also examined the effect of background aerobic plate count (APC) bacteria and fat content effects on the detection of E. coli O157:H7. At APC concentrations below 6 log CFU/g, the rapid methods detected all beef trim samples inoculated with 26 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 per 65 g. At an APC of 6.7 log CFU/g, culture, BAX-MP, and GDS detected 100, 75, and 13%, respectively, of inoculated samples. Neither commercial method detected E. coli O157:H7 in the samples when APC was 7.7 log CFU/g, whereas culture was able to detect 63% of E. coli O157:H7 in the samples when APC was at this concentration. Increased fat content correlated with decreasing recovery of immunomagnetic separation beads, but this was not observed to interfere with detection of E. coli O157:H7.


2018 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 1508-1521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tam L Mai ◽  
Shao-Lei Sung ◽  
Anna Shapovalova ◽  
Harish K Janagama ◽  
Long Vuong ◽  
...  

Abstract The Microfilm™ Test System is intended for quantitative microbiology and consists of three types of Microfilms for aerobic plate count (Microfilm APC), total coliform and Escherichia coli count (Microfilm TCEc), and yeast and mold count (Microfilm YMC). This study evaluated the performance of the Microfilm Test System against International Organization for Standardization (ISO) methods on 20 food matrixes and 2 environmental surfaces. Ruggedness, robustness, and stability were also determined, while inclusivity and exclusivity studies were performed on Microfilm TCEc and YMC. An independent laboratory evaluated the performance on four food matrixes and one environmental surface. No significant differences and high correlation coefficients were observed between the Microfilm Test System and the corresponding ISO methods (ISO 4833-1:2013 for APC, ISO 4832:2006 for total coliform count, ISO 16649-2: 2001 for E. coli, and ISO 21527 Part 1 and Part 2 for YMC) in spiked food matrixes and environmental samples. These results were corroborated by the independent laboratory. Inclusivity and exclusivity studies for Microfilm TCEc showed expected results for all the E. coli strains tested (blue-violet or violet color), while the related coliforms showed the expected blue-green colonies on the Microfilm. Similarly, all 100 fungal strains tested showed typical growth on Microfilm YMC. Exclusivity testing on Microfilm TCEc and YMC showed no growth of nontarget organisms. Robustness and ruggedness studies showed no significant differences in mean difference counts at varying incubation temperatures and times. Stability studies on three lots of the Microfilm Test System showed that it is stable at 2–25°C for 12 months and at 45°C for 6 weeks.


2010 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 1023-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARILYN C. ERICKSON ◽  
CATHY C. WEBB ◽  
JUAN CARLOS DIAZ-PEREZ ◽  
SHARAD C. PHATAK ◽  
JOHN J. SILVOY ◽  
...  

Numerous field studies have revealed that irrigation water can contaminate the surface of plants; however, the occurrence of pathogen internalization is unclear. This study was conducted to determine the sites of Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination and its survival when the bacteria were applied through spray irrigation water to either field-grown spinach or lettuce. To differentiate internalized and surface populations, leaves were treated with a surface disinfectant wash before the tissue was ground for analysis of E. coli O157:H7 by direct plate count or enrichment culture. Irrigation water containing E. coli O157:H7 at 102, 104, or 106 CFU/ml was applied to spinach 48 and 69 days after transplantation of seedlings into fields. E. coli O157:H7 was initially detected after application on the surface of plants dosed at 104 CFU/ml (4 of 20 samples) and both on the surface (17 of 20 samples) and internally (5 of 20 samples) of plants dosed at 106 CFU/ml. Seven days postspraying, all spinach leaves tested negative for surface or internal contamination. In a subsequent study, irrigation water containing E. coli O157:H7 at 108 CFU/ml was sprayed onto either the abaxial (lower) or adaxial (upper) side of leaves of field-grown lettuce under sunny or shaded conditions. E. coli O157:H7 was detectable on the leaf surface 27 days postspraying, but survival was higher on leaves sprayed on the abaxial side than on leaves sprayed on the adaxial side. Internalization of E. coli O157:H7 into lettuce leaves also occurred with greater persistence in leaves sprayed on the abaxial side (up to 14 days) than in leaves sprayed on the adaxial side (2 days).


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Harumi Niguma ◽  
Jacinta Sanchez Pelayo ◽  
Tereza Cristina Rocha Moreira de Oliveira

The aims of this study were to evaluate the contamination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa), produced in Londrina, Paraná (PR), with total coliform, coliform at 45 °C, E. coli, and Salmonella spp.; and to determine the E. coli contamination of irrigation water used at the farms studied. Four farms were evaluated, of which three produced lettuce using a conventional system and one using an organic system. An evaluation of the production practices of the farms was also carried out. A total of 111 samples were analyzed, 71 lettuce samples from the conventional system and 40 samples from the organic system. A total of eight irrigation water samples were collected for analysis. Coliform at 45 °C counts above the limit tolerated by Brazilian legislation were observed in 2.8% (2/71) of conventionally grown lettuce samples, and Salmonella spp. was isolated in 1.4% (1/71) of those samples. In the organic lettuce samples, 12.5% (5/40) had coliform at 45 °C counts above the limit tolerated and Salmonella spp. was not detected. Irrigation water samples from three farms were unsatisfactory, with counts higher than 102MPN of E. coli per 100mL. The results of this study demonstrate that most conventionally grown lettuce samples show good sanitary conditions in production, and that lettuce contamination is not related to contamination found in irrigation water samples. The results also showed that the organic production practices required by Brazilian certification agencies should be applied to ensure that contamination of produced lettuce remains controlled.


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