Determination of Verification Parameters for Using the Manual Sampling Device for Fresh Raw Beef Trim

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Food Safety Engineering

Background:

• Beef processing industries employ comprehensive food safety systems to mitigate bacterial contamination risks.
• Conditional product release relies on pathogen testing, necessitating validated sample collection methods.
• Verification activities ensure the adequacy of sampling protocols in beef processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine parameters for verifying adequate beef trim sampling using the Manual Sampling Device (MSD) method.
• To investigate the efficacy of repeated MSD sampling on fresh raw beef trim.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of MSD sampling coverage area and duration on fresh raw beef trim.
• Assessment of repeated sampling from the same beef trim combo bin.
• Analysis of organism recovery and prevalence targets under varied sampling conditions.

Main Results:

• MSD sampling covering at least half the surface for a minimum of 90 seconds is adequate for fresh raw beef trim.
• MSD sampling for at least 30 seconds per side is adequate for organism recovery from raw beef trim.
• Two MSD samples from the same combo bin yield similar test results, supporting concurrent in-plant and regulatory sampling.

Conclusions:

• The study provides data supporting flexibility in accepting MSD test results when verification indicates minor deviations from protocol.
• Established MSD protocol specifications remain unchanged, but findings offer practical insights for sampling verification.
• Validated sampling parameters ensure the reliability of pathogen testing in beef processing.