Microbial Counts of Selected Hot-Boned Primals and Ground Beef

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Meat Science

Background:

• Hot boning, the process of excising muscles within hours of slaughter, is an alternative to traditional chilling methods.
• Assessing the microbial implications of hot boning is crucial for ensuring meat safety and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of hot boning on the aerobic bacterial plate counts (APC) of dairy cow muscles and ground beef.
• To compare microbial quality between hot-boned and chilled beef carcasses.

Main Methods:

• Muscles from 24 dairy cows were sampled immediately after slaughter (hot-boned) and after 24 hours of chilling.
• Aerobic bacterial plate counts (APC) were determined at incubation temperatures of 5, 20, and 35°C.
• Microbial quality of ground beef fabricated from hot-boned and chilled trimmings was also assessed.

Main Results:

• Initial APC on rounds did not differ significantly between hot-boned and chilled carcasses.
• Bacterial counts increased during muscle removal but were comparable between hot and chilled treatments.
• Ground beef from hot-boned trimmings showed no significant difference in APC compared to ground beef from chilled trimmings.
• Addition of higher-bacterial-count USDA Choice plates increased APC in manufactured ground beef.

Conclusions:

• Hot boning does not adversely affect the microbial quality of selected beef primals (rounds, loins) and ground beef.
• The findings suggest hot boning is a viable method for meat processing without compromising microbial safety.
• Further research may explore specific interventions to manage bacterial loads during hot boning if necessary.