MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF AUSTRALIAN BEEF CARCASS MEAT AND FROZEN BULK PACKED BEEF

Two studies were undertaken to determine the microbiological quality o f beef carcass meat and frozen boneless bulk packed beef produced in A ustralia. Samples were collected from 1,063 beef carcasses and from 92 9 cartons of frozen boneless bulk packed beef over a period of approxi mately 12 months. Samples were collected from works processing beef ca rcasses for the Australian domestic market and from works targeting ex port markets. On carcasses processed for export markets, where bacteri al counts were obtained, the log(10) mean of the APC (aerobic plate co unt) was 3.13 CFU/cm(2); the geometric mean of the coliform count was 19 MPN/cm(2); and the geometric mean of Escherichia coli was 13 MPN/cm (2). A small percentage (0.59%) of export samples were found positive for Listeria monocytogenes, 0.16% were positive for Campylobacter jeju ni/coli, 0.22% were positive for Salmonella spp., and 29% were positiv e for coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. Bacterial numbers were lo wer on carcasses processed for export markets and higher on carcasses chilled for more than 24 h. Escherichia coli O157 was recovered from 4 of 893 export carcasses tested (0.45%). Of the export frozen boneless bulk packed beef samples that tested positive, the log(10) mean of th e APC was 2.5 CFU/g, the geometric mean of the coliform count was 15 M PN/g, and the geometric mean number of E. coli was 15 MPN/g, Three of 787 export frozen samples (0.38%) tested positive for Salmonella spp. E, coli O157 was not isolated from any of the 685 export frozen sample s tested for this bacteria. Export samples on average had lower APCs t han domestic samples. Results from both surveys are compared with data from similar studies in other countries.