Microbial Changes in Ready-to-use Packaged Food from Supermarkets and Self-prepared during Storage at 6-9°C

Abstract

Ready-to-use packaged food sampled from supermarkets was stored at 6-9°C for 0 (fresh), 2 or 4 days. Meat, sea food, fish and vegetables purchased from traditional markets were prepared for use packaged food and well wrapped with PS/PVC film, under the same storage conditions as above. The total aerobic plate counts of all samples increased during storage for 4 days. Coliforms were detected in all samples whereas Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in some foods such as fish, meat and sea food. Staphylococcal enterotoxin types found in ready-to-use packaged food from the supermarket and self-prepared foods are different, but types A, B were common types. The microbial changes were similar in different preparation methods(one is "cut then wash", the other is "wash then cut").