Microbiological risk assessment represented by the psychrotrophic microflora from some meat products

Abstract

Meat products are one of the categories of food that is increasingly appreciated by consumers. The presence in meat products of psychrotrophs is of particular importance for their quality, safety and freshness. Psychrotrophs can decrease their quality or make them non-edible, either by their pathogenic action or by the degradation and production of toxic metabolites. The aim of the study was to carry out a microbiological risk assessment regarding contamination of some meat products with psychrotrophs. The research material was represented by 36 samples of heat treated meat products: frankfurter, extra baloney and Victoria ham salami, collected between February - May 2019 from a meat processing company, located in Transylvania. All the samples were analyzed for the presence of the main psychrotrophs involved in spoilage processes: Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., Moraxella spp., Lactobacillus spp., Aeromonas spp., Yersinia spp., and other bacteria from Enterobacteriaceae family. Psychrotrophic microbial load ranged between 7.0x102 and 5x104 cfu/g, 2x102 cfu/g and 8x102 and 3.2x106 for Victoria ham salami, extra baloney and frankfurters, respectively. In case of frankfurters, the microbial population was represented by: Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida, Micrococcus spp., lactic acid bacteria, Moraxella lacunata, Ochrabactrum anthropi, and unidentified Gram positive rods. Microbial populations in case of Victoria ham salami were represented by: Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida, Acinetobacter lwofii, Moraxella lacunata, Staphylococcus spp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Streptococcus spp., and unidentified Gram positive rods. Microbial populations in case of extra baloney were represented by: Pseudomonas fluorescens, Psychrobacter phenylpiruvicus, Micrococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., and unidentified Gram-positive bacteria. Following the microbiological risk assessment regarding the presence of psychrotrophs in meat products, we conclude that psychotrophic microflora must be monitored permanently, being dependent on the initial loading of the raw material, as well as on the hygiene practices and temperature from storage area.