Contamination and bacterial retention capacity of beef carcasses at the abattoir

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Abstract
The contamination of beef carcasses was studied together with the capacity of meat surfaces to retain bacteria along the processing line in the slaughter hall. The contamination varied along the processing line but this pattern was essentially dependent on the contamination at the dressing station. It decreased or remained unchanged during the first 12 min and then increased, even without additional contamination. The contamination varied according to carcasses and microorganisms studied and was not greatly affected by spray cleaning. The number of bacterial retained changed at a rate similar to that of the contaminants. The attachment was instantaneous. The results are discussed and compared with the various hypotheses about contamination and bacterial attachment processes.