MICROBIAL CHANGES DURING HANGING OF WILD AND FARMED RED PARTRIDGES (ALECTORIS-RUFA)

The change of bacterial counts during hanging at 8 degrees C of three groups of red partridges (Alectoris rufa) (wild, farmed and ''mixed'') was determined by sampling at 12 h, 4 and 8 d post mortem and at the spoilage time. Although mesophiles and Enterobacteriaceae multiplied r apidly on the skin and in the small intestine, respectively, of wild b irds, they kept unspoiled for 23 d. Farmed and ''mixed'' partridges wh ich showed lower counts developed greening within 16 d. Anaerobic coun ts in the small intestine of partridges declined during the first 8 (w ild birds) or 4 d (farmed and ''mixed'' birds) of storage, then increa sed up to levels higher than those obtained before hanging. At the spo ilage time, Lactobacillus spp. predominated (60 %) among the anaerobes obtained from wild birds; whereas farmed and ''mixed'' animals yielde d 0 and 10 %, respectively.