<em>Brochothrix thermosphacta</em> as a microbiological indicator in determining the expiration date of meat products

Abstract

Microbial spoilage of food products leads to significant losses with negative social and economic consequences. In order to better control contamination and microbiological spoilage of food products, a new GOST P 70354-22 has been introduced. Meat and meat products. General requirements and procedure for testing to justify expiration dates (publication date 09/29/2022). Great importance is attached to the identification and quantification of the additional microbiological indicator Brochothrix termosphacta in meat, meat and meat-containing products packed using vacuum or modified gas atmosphere. Brochothrix sp. may become the dominant type of meat spoilage in MHA packaging and vacuum packed in the presence of sufficient oxygen. Brochothrix causes mucus and stickiness of the meat surface, unpleasant odors. Brochothrix also causes mucus and stickiness on the meat surface. GOST P 70354-22 describes a method for detecting and counting the number of bacteria Brochothrix sp. For their cultivation, a dense selective medium STAA was proposed. It allows you to isolate, identify and determine the amount of Brochothrix in samples. The technique described in GOST P 70354-2022 was tested. According to the results of cultivating primary crops, we observed the growth of characteristic small, round, shiny, gray-white colonies of Brochotrix on the surface of a special medium. The studied bacteria were oxidase-negative and catalase-positive.