RAPID PHYSICOCHEMICAL DETACHMENT, SEPARATION AND CONCENTRATION OF BACTERIA FROM BEEF SURFACES

A simple, rapid, physicochemical treatment for the removal of viable b acteria from the surface of raw and cooked beef is described. The deta chment method was linked to a differential centrifugation step which r emoved large amounts of particulate food matter and concentrated the d etached bacteria. The method increased the numbers of bacteria release d from beef surfaces and increased the numbers detected by at least on e and a half orders of magnitude, when compared to the traditional 'st omaching' technique. This 1-h separation and concentration method prod uced cleaner suspensions of bacteria and improved the sensitivity of d etection by DEFT and direct plate count.