One hundred and fifty random samples of vacuum packaged meat products (salami, frankfurter and cocktail) produced by 2 different processing plants terminated A and B (75 0f each) were collected from different supermarkets located in Kalyobia governorate. Each processing plant was represented by 25 samples each of salami, frankfurter and cocktail for determination of their contamination with aerobic and anaerobic spore forming bacteria. The obtained results indicated that the mean values of aerobic spore formers and B.cereus counts/g in the examined samples of vacuum packaged meat products processed by plant A were 9.27×102± 2.03×102 & 6.53×102 ±1.17×102 for salami, 2.64×103 ±0.28×103 &1.74×103 ± 0.42×103 for frankfurter and 8.35×103± 1.51×103& 4.69×103± 0.81×103 of cocktail, respectively. Concerning plant B, the mean values of aerobic spore formers and B.cereus counts/g in the examined samples of vacuum packaged meat products were 3.81×103± 0.52×103& 9.05×102 ± 2.21×102 for salami, 7.59×103 ± 1.12×103 & 3.61×103 ± 0.74×103for frankfurter and 2.07×104± 0.48×104& 8.25×103± 1.57×103of cocktail, respectively The incidence of aerobic spore formers in the examined samples of salami, frankfurter and cocktail were 24%, 40%, 44% of plant A, 36%, 56% and 68% for plant B, respectively. Regardless the processing plant, aerobic spore formers were detected in 36% and 53.33% of the examined samples of salami, frankfurter and cocktail, respectively. The different species of Bacillus isolated from the examined samples of vacuum packaged meat products were B.cereus, B.coaggulans ,B.circulans, B.macerans, B.megaterium, B.licheniformis, B. stearothermophilus and B.subtilis which were isolated from the examined samples of salami, frankfurter and cocktail either of plant A or B with varying percentages.
On the other hand, the average values of anaerobic spore formers counts/g in the examined samples of vacuum packaged salami, frankfurter and cocktail were 7.59×102± 1.32×102, 1.92×103 ±0.46×103 and 5.31×103 ±0.85×103 for plant A and 2.13×103± 0.20×103, 4.07×103 ±0.68×103 and 1.16×104 ±0.25×104 for plant B, respectively. Moreover, the mean values of total C.perfringens counts /g in the examined samples of vacuum packaged meat products produced by plant A and B were 3.16×102± 0.57×102 & 9.65×102± 2.08×102 for salami, 8.72×102± 1.95×102 & 2.81×103± 0.44×103 for frankfurter and 2.43×103± 0.38×103 & 7.93×103±1.51×103 for cocktail, respectively.
Accurately, C.bifermentas, C.butyricum, C.perfrigens, C.putrefaciens, C.sordelli, C.sporogens and C.tertium were anaerobic spore forming bacteria isolated from the examined samples of vacuum packaged salami, frankfurter and cocktail produced by both processing plants A and B with different percentages. Therefore, the incidence of anaerobic spore formers in the examined samples of vacuum packaged salami, frankfurter and cocktail was 28 %, 48% and 60% for plant A and 44%, 56% and 76% for plant B, respectively.
In addition, 16%, 28% and 32% of the examined samples of salami, frankfurter and cocktail were contaminated with C.perfringens from which 8%, 16% and 20% were lecithinase positive strains, respectively. While, 12%, 24% and 32% of the examined samples of salami, frankfurter and cocktail of plant B were lecithinase positive out of 28%, 36% and 48% C.perfringens strains isolated from these examined samples, respectively.
Typing of lecithinase positive strains of C. perfringens meat products indicated the presence of types A, B, C and D in the examined samples of vacuum packaged salami, frankfurter and cocktail of both plants in different rates meat products.
The differences associated with the examined samples of salami, frankfurter and cocktail were high significant (P < 0.01) as a result of total aerobic and anaerobic spore formers counts. Also, high significant (P < 0.01) differences appeared between such examined samples of vacuum packaged meat products due to varieties of the processing plants. In contrast, the interaction between type of meat products and the variety of processing plant was non significant.
Finally, the significance of isolated spore forming bacteria in the examined samples of vacuum packaged meat products and possible sources of their contamination as well as some recommendations to improve the quality of such meat items were discussed. |
