HOT-WATER RINSING AND TRIMMING WASHING OF BEEF CARCASSES TO REDUCE PHYSICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION

A field study was conducted to compare trimming/washing procedures wit h hot-water rinsing as interventions for beef carcass decontamination. Treatments included no trimming/no washing; knife-trimming followed b y spray-washing (26 degrees C, 276 kPa followed by 1000 kPa); and hot- water rinsing (>77 degrees C, 138-152 kPa, 2.5 or 8 sec) following eit her knife-trimming or no knife-trimming of the contaminated site and s pray-washing. Samples were analyzed for counts of total aerobic bacter ia, total coliforms and Escherichia coli, as well as for the presence of Salmonella spp, and E. coli O157:H7. Results indicated decontaminat ion of beef carcasses could be achieved by knife-trimming followed by spray-washing or by spray-washing followed by hot-water rinsing.