Dynamics of Bacterial Communities of Lamb Meat Packaged in Air and Vacuum Pouch during Chilled Storage

In this study, the changes in microbial communities of lamb meat packaged in the air (plastic tray, PT) and in a vacuum pouch (VAC) were assessed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) during the storage at 4°C. For the PT lamb, the total viable count (TVC) was 10⁷ CFU/g on Day 5, and the dominated bacteria were Pseudomonas fragi, P. fluorescens, and Acinetobacter spp. For the VAC lamb, the TVC was 10⁷ CFU/g on Day 9, and the dominated bacteria were lactic acid bacteria, including Carnobacterium divergens, C. maltaromaticum, and Lactococcus piscium. One strain of Pseudomonas spp. also appeared in VAC lamb. The relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae in VAC lamb was higher than that PT lamb, indicating a more important role of Enterobacteriaceae in spoilage for VAC lamb than that of PT lamb. The microbial compositions changed faster in the lamb stored in a PT than that stored in a VAC, and microbial community compositions of the late storage period were largely different from those of the early storage period for both the conditions. The findings of this study may guide improve the lamb hygiene and prolong the shelf life of the lamb.