[Total count and bacterial flora of minced meat with special reference to enterobacteria and pseudomonads (author's...

The bacterial flora of minced meat is dominated by Micrococcaceae. In addition lactobacilli, pseudomonads, and enterobacteria are present in high numbers. The most important groups of spoiled meat are lactobacilli and pseudomonads. Enterobacteria develop predominantly at higher spoilage temperatures (15 degrees C). A more detailed study was conducted on 1076 cultures of enterobacteria and 915 cultures of pseudomonads. The main groups of enterobacteria found on minced meat are Enterobacter liquefacines, Erwinia, Citrobacter and Klebsiella. In spoiled meat E. liquefaciens and Erwinia predominate. Basicly, however, the enterobacteria flora of fresh and spoiled meat is rather similar. The same applies to the pseudomonads flora which at a rate of 60-70% consists of Pseudomonads fragi. The total count of minced meat is subject to large variations.