Jj. Saidealbornoz et al., CONTAMINATION OF PORK CARCASSES DURING SLAUGHTER, FABRICATION, AND CHILLED STORAGE, Journal of food protection, 58(9), 1995, pp. 993-997
In an attempt to determine points of greatest pathogenic contamination
of pork, the prevalence of five pathogens was determined on pork carc
asses at specific points during slaughter, fabrication, and refrigerat
ed storage. Pork carcass and loin surfaces were swabbed at three hog s
laughtering plants. Carcasses were swabbed after singeing, after the f
inal wash of the slaughter process, and after 24 h of chilled storage.
Boneless loins were swabbed after trimming and deboning, but before p
ackaging. Also, vacuum-packaged loins were sampled after 36 days of st
orage at 2 degrees C. Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., and List
eria monocytogenes were the most prevalent. S. aureus isolates showed
a significant linear increase (P = 0.0399) from slaughter to fabricati
on processes, with the highest numbers detected after 24 h of refriger
ated storage. Trimming fat from surfaces of pork loins reduced the num
ber of initial S. aureus counts, but there was no further reduction af
ter 36 days of refrigerated storage. Salmonella were isolated primaril
y from pork before fabrication and refrigerated storage. A continuous
reduction in the numbers of Salmonella isolates was detected from the
point of singeing to the point of fabrication. No Salmonella were isol
ated from vacuum-packaged pork stored for 36 days at 2 degrees C. The
relatively higher prevalence of the psychrotrophic pathogenic bacteria
L. monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica in vacuum-packaged pork
loins after 36 days of storage at 2 degrees C indicates the need for p
roper cooking and handling of meats prior to human consumption.