| dc.description |
Recent outbreaks of foodborne illness have resulted in increased regulatory pressure on meat processors . Validation of production processes to determine their ability to produce microbiologically safe finished product has been emphasized . Control of pathogen growth in raw products and pathogen lethality during heat processing of cooked ready -to -eat (RTE ) products are important . Cross contamination of carcass surfaces with bacteria , including pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157 :H7 , can occur during animal harvest . Sources of contamination include the digestive tract and hide of the animal and the processing environment . Raw meat products are not generally subjected to interventions during processing that reduce bacterial counts . Therefore , it is necessary to control the growth of bacteria on the product during processing . Control of product and /or processing environment temperature is generally the only available means to control bacterial growth . Control of bacterial growth in raw meat for use in the production of cooked RTE meat products is less important than in product to be sold in the raw state . Safety of cooked RTE products depends on proper cooking . Thermal processing parameters should be designed to result in a Salmonella lethality that meets or exceeds regulatory performance standards . Parameters of interest include oven temperature , product internal temperature , processing time and process humidity . The purpose of the studies performed was to determine the effects of environmental and product temperature on the growth of Salmonella and E . coli O157 :H7 in raw meat products and also the effects of product temperature and process humidity on the lethality of surface inoculated Salmonella during the thermal processing of cooked RTE roast beef . Results suggest that meat processors can safely process raw meat products under a variety of conditions , ranging from 4 .4ºC (40ºF ) to room temperature (23 .3ºC /74ºF ) if the time of product exposure is considered relative to the product or environmental temperature . Furthermore , thermal processing of cooked RTE roast beef in the presence of humidity levels ranging from 30 -90 % resulted in an adequate Salmonella lethality when processed to an internal temperature of 62 .8ºC (145ºF ) . Overall results provide parameters that can be utilized by meat processors to produce microbiologically safe finished products . |
|