MICROBIAL QUALITY AND SHELF LIFE OF SOME MEAT PRODUCTS

Abstract

A total of I 00 random samples of minced meat, beef burger, sausage and kofta (25 of each) were collected from a meat processing plant to evaluate their microbial quality. I

The plane of examination was done as follows : I. At zero time after production. 2. After storage at -1 8°C for 2, 4 and 6 months.

The bacteriological examination indicated that the mean values of

APC of examined samples of minced meat, beefburger, sausage and kolla

.• were 2.18 X 106 ± 0.76 X 106,9.78 X 105 ± 2.93 X 105, 1.07 X 106 ± 0.42 X I 01 & 7.24 X I 0 5 ± 1.38 X 105/g at zero time, 5.03 X I 06 ± 1.21 X I 06 , 3.26 X I 01 ± 0.92 x 10 ,4.36 x 106 ± 1.27x 106 &2.24x 106 +0.91 x 106/gafter2

7 months 1.19 x 10 6

±0.33x 10 7,8.73x 106 +3.14x 106,9.98x I06 ±3.51 x

I 0 & 6.96 x 106 ± 1.71 x 106/g after 4 months and 7.56 x I 0 7 ± 2.05 x I 07 ,

7

2.10x 10

±0.8lxl07,3.75xi07 ±1.02x107 &9.83xi06 ±2.94xl0 >/g

after 6 months of frozen storage, respectively.

The mean values of total coliform counts of examined meat products stored at -l8°C at zero & '6 months were 6.42 x I 02 ± I.77 x I 02 & 7.38 x 3 I 0 ± 2.27 x 103 g for minced meat, 1.35 x 102 ± 0.46 x I 02 & 1.14 x 103 ± 0.47 x 10 /g for beefburger, 2.87 x 102 ± 0.92 x 102 & 3.75 x 103 ± 1.22 x 10 /g for sausage and 1.06 x 102 ± 0.29 x 102 & 9.32 x 102 ± 2.85 x I02/g for kofta, respectively.