Microbial Control of Meat - A Retailer's Approach

Fresh meats and poultry contain bacteria at the time the retailer receives them from the supplier. To protect customers from foodborne illness, control product loss and improve shelf life, the retailer strives to minimize further contamination and growth of these bacteria. With no bactericidal processing of the meats approved for use by the retailer, microbial control is achieved through the control of (a) market cleanliness and sanitation, (b) temperature and (c) product movement and rotation by concerned market employees. These bacterial control techniques are not new to the non-technically trained butcher or meat cutter who has been thoroughly schooled in the adage that to control meat losses you must "(a) keep it clean, (b) keep it cold and (c) keep it moving." The effectiveness of the retailer's meat microbial control program is largely dependent upon the thoroughness of each individual market employee's adherence to details of these principles.