Microbial and chemical quality of retailed minced meats

Abstract EN

50 random locally produced minced meat samples (25 each of packaged frozen and chilled) were collected from supermarkets and meat markets in Damanhour City to assess their microbiological and chemical quality.

The obtained results of frozen minced meat showed that the logarithmic means ± S.E.

of aerobic plate counts (APC), anaerobic, enterobacteriacae, coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus and mould and yeast counts were : 6.15± 5.78 , 4.60 ± 3.89 , 4.40 ± 4.11 , 3.93 ± 3.64, 4.40 ± 3.88 , 2.72 ± 2.18 and 3.91± 3.64 log10 cfu/g, respectively, while in chilled mince were : 6.83 ± 6.04 , 4.86 ± 4.04, 4.76 ±4.49, 4.57 ±4.26, 5.26±4.71, 3.59± 3.49 and 3.65 ± 3.04 log10 cfu/g, respectively.

This study mentioned that the maximum permissible limit was exceeded by 36% and 88 % for total aerobic counts (6 log10 cfu/g), 72% and 84% for Staph.aureus according to Egyptian standard specifications (ESS) No.

1694/2005 of Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality Control.

Also, samples of both products were not be completely free from coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus but were completely free from Escherichia coli, Shigellae and Salmonellae as pathogenic microorganisms.

The chemical examination revealed that the hydrogen ion concentrations(pH) of frozen samples was ranged from 6.10 to 6.71,with a mean ± S.E.

of 6.26 ± 0.03 while in chilled ones was ranged from 6.12 to 6.86, with a mean ± S.E.

of 6.34 ± 0.03, while total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) in frozen mince was ranged from 6.72 to 13.44, with a mean ± S.E.

of 9.52 ± 0.37 mg N/100g and was ranged from 6.72 to 24.19, with a mean ± S.E.

of 13.38 ± 0.96 mg N/100g in chilled mince.

These values of TVB-N were not exceeded the maximum permissible limit, (20 mg N/100g) according to ESS No.1694/2005 except 12% of chilled minced samples.

The fat oxidation criteria determined by thiobarbituric acid value (TBA) in both products were very low and did not exceeded the permissible limit in foods (0.9 mg malonaldhyde/kg).

These results indicated that the microbiological quality of retailed minced meat samples were unsatisfactory, and have health hazards for consumers as it may be lead to food poisoning.