Fresh Meats and Poultry
67
Table 4–3 Relative Percentage of Organisms in Red Meats That Meet Specified Target Numbers
(Numbers Reported are log 10 cfu/g or ml)
Microbial
Group/Target
% Samples
Number of
(All Numbers
Meeting
Products
Samples
Are log 10 )
Target
Reference
Raw beef patties
735
APC: log 10 6.00 or less/g
76
170
735
Coliforms: log 2.00 or less/g
84
170
735
E. coli: log 2.00 or less/g
92
170
735
S. aureus: 2.00 or less/g
85
170
735
Presence of salmonellae
0.4
170
Fresh ground beef
∗
1,830
APC: 6.70 or less/g
89
21
1,830
S. aureus: 3.00 or less/g
92
21
1,830
E. coli: 1.70 or less/g
84
21
1,830
Presence of salmonellae
2
21
1,830
Presence of C. perfringens
20
21
Fresh ground beef
1,090
APC: ≥7.00 or less/g at 35
◦ C
88
142
1,090
Fecal coliforms: ≤2.00/g
76
142
1,090
S. aureus: <2.00/g
91
142
Frozen ground beef patties
605
APC: 6.00 or less/g
67
74
604
E. coli: <2.70/g
85
74
604
E. coli: >3.00/g MPN
9
74
Fried hamburger
107
APC at 21
◦ C; 72 h, <3.00/g
76
43
Absence of enterococci,
100
43
coliforms, S. aureus,
107
Salmonellae
Comminuted big game meats
113
Coliforms: 2.00 or less/g
42
163
113
E. coli: 2.00 or less/g
75
163
113
S. aureus: 2.00 or less/g
96
163
∗ Under Oregon law that was in effect at the time.
Note: APC = Aerobic plate count; MPN = most probable number.
or of laboratory methodology is unclear. For many decades, comminuted meats have been shown to
contain higher numbers of microorganisms than noncomminuted meats such as steaks, and there are
reasons for this:
1. Commercial ground meats consisting of trimmings from various cuts that are handled excessively
generally contain high levels of microbial contamination. Ground meats that are produced from
large cuts tend to have lower microbial numbers.
2. Ground meat provides a greater surface area, which itself accounts in part for the increased
biota. It should be recalled that as particle size is reduced, the total surface area increases with a
consequent increase in surface energy.
3. This greater surface area of ground meat favors the growth of aerobic bacteria, the usual lowtemperature spoilage biota.
4. In some commercial establishments, the meat grinders, cutting knives, and storage utensils are
rarely cleaned as often and as thoroughly as is necessary to prevent the successive buildup of
67
Table 4–3 Relative Percentage of Organisms in Red Meats That Meet Specified Target Numbers
(Numbers Reported are log 10 cfu/g or ml)
Microbial
Group/Target
% Samples
Number of
(All Numbers
Meeting
Products
Samples
Are log 10 )
Target
Reference
Raw beef patties
735
APC: log 10 6.00 or less/g
76
170
735
Coliforms: log 2.00 or less/g
84
170
735
E. coli: log 2.00 or less/g
92
170
735
S. aureus: 2.00 or less/g
85
170
735
Presence of salmonellae
0.4
170
Fresh ground beef
∗
1,830
APC: 6.70 or less/g
89
21
1,830
S. aureus: 3.00 or less/g
92
21
1,830
E. coli: 1.70 or less/g
84
21
1,830
Presence of salmonellae
2
21
1,830
Presence of C. perfringens
20
21
Fresh ground beef
1,090
APC: ≥7.00 or less/g at 35
◦ C
88
142
1,090
Fecal coliforms: ≤2.00/g
76
142
1,090
S. aureus: <2.00/g
91
142
Frozen ground beef patties
605
APC: 6.00 or less/g
67
74
604
E. coli: <2.70/g
85
74
604
E. coli: >3.00/g MPN
9
74
Fried hamburger
107
APC at 21
◦ C; 72 h, <3.00/g
76
43
Absence of enterococci,
100
43
coliforms, S. aureus,
107
Salmonellae
Comminuted big game meats
113
Coliforms: 2.00 or less/g
42
163
113
E. coli: 2.00 or less/g
75
163
113
S. aureus: 2.00 or less/g
96
163
∗ Under Oregon law that was in effect at the time.
Note: APC = Aerobic plate count; MPN = most probable number.
or of laboratory methodology is unclear. For many decades, comminuted meats have been shown to
contain higher numbers of microorganisms than noncomminuted meats such as steaks, and there are
reasons for this:
1. Commercial ground meats consisting of trimmings from various cuts that are handled excessively
generally contain high levels of microbial contamination. Ground meats that are produced from
large cuts tend to have lower microbial numbers.
2. Ground meat provides a greater surface area, which itself accounts in part for the increased
biota. It should be recalled that as particle size is reduced, the total surface area increases with a
consequent increase in surface energy.
3. This greater surface area of ground meat favors the growth of aerobic bacteria, the usual lowtemperature spoilage biota.
4. In some commercial establishments, the meat grinders, cutting knives, and storage utensils are
rarely cleaned as often and as thoroughly as is necessary to prevent the successive buildup of