Detection of Psychrophilic Clostridium spp. Causing "Blown Pack" Spoilage in Meat Juice Samples from Chilled Vacuum-Packed Beef and Lamb Meat Imported from Different Countries to Switzerland

• Published in: Journal of food protection 2020-01, Vol.83 (1), p.56-59
• Main Authors: Wambui, Joseph, Püntener, Sabrina, Corti, Sabrina, Cernela, Nicole, Stephan, Roger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Australia; Beef; Cattle; Clostridium; Clostridium - isolation & purification; Cooling; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Microbiology; Food Packaging; Food safety; Juices; Laboratories; Lithuania; Meat; Meat industry; Meat processing; Microorganisms; New Zealand; Red Meat - microbiology; Sheep; Spain; Spoilage; Studies; Switzerland; Vacuum
• ISSN: 0362-028X; 1944-9097
• DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-19-321

"Blown pack" spoilage (BPS) of chilled vacuum-packed meat is mainly caused by anaerobic and psychrophilic spp., including and . Recently, its occurrence has been reported in several countries, especially in internationally traded meat. Therefore, this study aimed at detecting the occurrence of psychrophilic spp. causing BPS in meat juice samples (MJS) from chilled vacuum-packed beef and lamb meat imported from other countries to Switzerland. One hundred fifty-four MJS ( = 78 from beef; = 76 from lamb meat) were screened for psychrophilic spp. by quantitative PCR, whereby MJS with a crossing point PCR cycle value 35 were considered positive and negative, respectively. Psychrophilic spp. were detected in 10 MJS, of which 2 were from beef and 8 were from lamb meat. The two beef MJS originated from Spain and Lithuania, whereas the lamb MJS originated from New Zealand (six) and Australia (two). This is the first report of psychrophilic spp. in MJS from chilled vacuum-packed beef and lamb meat imported from other countries to Switzerland and provides further evidence that the risk of BPS in lamb meat is higher than in beef.