QUANTITATIVE STUDIES OF PROTEOLYTIC AND LIPOLYTIC BACTERIA IN FROZEN MINCED BEEF AND HAMBURGER

Sixty frozen samples (30 hamburger patties and 30 minced meat) purchas ed from different retail markets in Ismailia, Egypt were examined for incidence of proteolytic and lipolytic bacteria. Mean values of proteo lytic psychrophiles in the examined samples of hamburger and minced me at were 2 x 10(5) and 6 x 10(4), respectively. Lipolytic psychrophiles in hamburger were 8 x 10(5) and 3 x 10(5) in minced meat. Proteolytic mesophiles in hamburger and minced meat were 6 x 10(5) and 5 x 10(4) respectively. Mean values of lipolytic mesophiles were 5 x 10(4) for h amburger and 5 x 10(3) for minced meat. Proteolytic thermophiles in ha mburger and minced meat were 3 x 10(3) and 10(3) respectively. Both pr oteolytic and lipolytic activities were exhibited by various bacteria that were identified.