Comparison of Three Methods for Estimating Surface Bacteria on Pork Carcasses

Area of Science:

• Food microbiology
• Microbial detection techniques
• Meat safety and quality

Background:

• Accurate assessment of microbial load on pork carcasses is crucial for ensuring food safety.
• Traditional methods for bacterial surface enumeration can be time-consuming and costly.
• Exploring alternative, efficient methods for microbial analysis is essential for routine quality control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of using less expensive and quicker techniques for estimating microbial loads on pork carcasses.
• To compare the efficacy of the moist-swab contact (swab method), direct agar contact (Rodac method), and mylar adhesive tape (mylar method) for bacterial surface enumeration.
• To determine the most suitable alternative method for routine microbial load estimation.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-six pork carcasses were sampled at four distinct locations: ham, loin, shoulder, and thoracic cavity.
• Surface bacteria were enumerated using three methods: swab, Rodac, and mylar tape.
• Statistical analysis involved log10 transformation of bacterial counts per cm².

Main Results:

• Significant differences (P<0.05) were found between the swab method and both the Rodac and mylar methods across all carcass locations.
• No significant difference was observed between the Rodac and mylar methods.
• Correlation coefficients indicated moderate agreement between swab and Rodac (0.43), swab and mylar (0.46), and stronger agreement between Rodac and mylar (0.62).

Conclusions:

• The mylar adhesive tape method is a viable and cost-effective alternative for estimating surface bacterial loads on pork carcasses.
• The mylar method demonstrates comparable performance to the Rodac method, suggesting its suitability for routine microbial monitoring.
• Further validation may enhance the adoption of the mylar method in meat inspection protocols.