Effect of irradiation and modified atmosphere packaging on the microbiological safety of minced pork stored under temperature abuse conditions

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: The safety of irradiated pork packed in 25% CO2:75% N2 and stored at abuse temperature (10 or 15°C) was assessed by inoculation studies involving Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica and Clostridium perfringens. Irradiation to a dose of 1.75 kGy reduced pathogen numbers to below the detection limit of 102 cells g‐1. When higher inoculum levels were used (106 cells g‐1) irradiation at 1.75 kGy reduced pathogen numbers by 1 –>5 log10 cycles depending on strain. Clostridium perfringens was the most resistant, and Y. enterocolitica the most sensitive of the pathogens studied.In all cases when high numbers (106 to 107g‐1) of spoilage and/or pathogenic bacteria were present initially on the pork the meat appeared spoiled, and although irradiation reduced the number of microorganisms, the meat was still unacceptable from a sensory viewpoint after treatment.It was concluded that the microbiological safety of irradiated, modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) pork is better than that of unirradiated MAP pork.