Microbiological Quality of Biscuit Dough, Snack Cakes and Soy Protein Meat Extender

Abstract

The microbiological quality of refrigerated biscuit dough, nonrefrigerated chocolate-flavored cream- or custard-filled snack cakes, and seasoned or unseasoned textured soy or vegetable protein meat extender was determined by a statistically based national survey at the retail level. For refrigerated biscuit dough, geometric means of aerobic plate counts (APC) and counts of yeasts and molds, coliforms, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 34,000, 46, 11, <3 and <3 microorganisms/g, respectively, and for seasoned and unseasoned meat extender 1,500 and 210 (APC seasoned and unseasoned), <25, <3, <3 and <10 microorganisms/g, respectively. Because of the limited availability of unseasoned meat extender in retail markets, the APC of 210 bacteria/g is not necessarily representative of the country.