23 - Meat safety, refrigerated storage and transport: modeling and management

Abstract

This chapter presents that meat products are perishable and unless processed, packaged, distributed, and stored appropriately can spoil in relatively short time. Over-growth of incidental pathogenic bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella sp. and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli followed by under-cooking or inadequate preparation may pause a potential hazard for the consumer. Despite the proliferation of food safety regulations and the introduction of safety management systems, such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), risk assessment studies show that foodborne disease has remained a main concern in the last decade. The chill chain itself is the weakest segment of quality and safety assurance systems for chilled foods, with temperature frequently deviating from specifications. Efforts should be directed toward developing an effective chill chain management system that optimizes quality distribution and minimizes risk at the time of consumption. The goal would be to replace the conventional First in First out (FIFO) approach with a new system, based on actual risk evaluation at important points in the chill chain, through continuous product temperature monitoring and quality data input.