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Manual squeezing as an alternative to mechanical stomaching in preparing beef carcass sponge samples for
Steven C Ingham1, Ryan J Algino, Barbara H Ingham
1Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA. scingham@wisc.edu
Journal of Food Protection
|April 9, 2009
Summary
Manual squeezing of beef carcass sponges is a viable alternative to the USDA stomaching method for analyzing Escherichia coli and other bacteria, significantly improving lab throughput.
Area of Science:
- Food Safety
- Microbiology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mandates Escherichia coli (E. coli) analysis in beef abattoirs.
- Current USDA protocols involve mechanical stomaching of carcass sponge samples, which can be time-consuming.
- Processors use sponge sampling to assess antimicrobial intervention efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the USDA's mechanical stomaching method with manual squeezing for beef carcass sponge sample preparation.
- To determine if manual squeezing impacts the enumeration of key bacterial indicators.
Main Methods:
- 100 beef carcasses were sampled from both halves, with one half processed using USDA stomaching and the other by manual squeezing.
- Samples were analyzed for E. coli, coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, and aerobic mesophilic bacteria using Petrifilm methods.
Main Results:
- Manual squeezing showed no significant difference compared to USDA stomaching for E. coli, coliforms, and Enterobacteriaceae.
- Aerobic mesophilic bacteria counts were slightly higher with the USDA method.
- No significant effect on analytical results was observed between the two sample preparation methods.
Conclusions:
- Manual squeezing is a rapid and simple alternative to USDA stomaching for preparing beef carcass sponge samples.
- This method is suitable for enumerating gram-negative bacteria like E. coli, coliforms, and Enterobacteriaceae.
- Manual squeezing can enhance laboratory throughput in abattoir hygiene monitoring.
