Comparison of aerobic and anaerobic methods for the microbiological monitoring of chilled packaged meat during storage

Abstract

Aerobic and anaerobic plate counts were compared for routine monitoring of the microflora, dominated by lactic acid bacteria, developing on vacuum- and carbon dioxide-packaged raw meat during chilled storage. No statistical differences were observed between aerobic and anaerobic enumerations, made on plate count and blood agar plates, of the microflora developing on beef striploins packaged under vacuum or carbon dioxide during 14 weeks' storage at 0 degree C. With both techniques the spoilage microflora development differed between the two packaging regimes. The results indicate that there is no necessity for aerobic plate counts to be replaced by anaerobic plate counts in the routine microbiological examination of the spoilage microflora developing on chilled meats packaged under anoxic modified atmospheres.