Assessment of the hygienic adequacy of a commercial hot boning process for beef by a temperature function integration technique

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 27 - 41
• Main Authors: Reichel, M.P., Phillips, D.M., Jones, R., Gill, C.O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.1991; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; BEEF; Biological and medical sciences; BONING; CANAL ANIMAL; CARCASSE; CARCASSES; CARNE DE RES; Cattle; DESHUESADO; DESOSSAGE; ESCHERICHIA; Escherichia coli - growth & development; Food Handling - standards; FOOD HYGIENE; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Freezing; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HIGIENE DE LOS ALIMENTOS; Hot boning; Hot Temperature; Hygiene; HYGIENE DES ALIMENTS; Meat - standards; Meat and meat product industries; METHODE; METHODS; METODOS; TEMPERATURA; TEMPERATURE; Temperature history; VIANDE BOVINE; Hot boning; Beef; Temperature history; Hygiene; Temperature; Escherichia coli; Ox; Carcass; Meat; Cutting; Vertebrata; Deboning; Mammalia; Bacteria; Artiodactyla; Conditioning; Biological contamination; Ungulata; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/0168-1605(91)90034-M

The hygienic performance of a commercial hot boning process for beef carcasses was assessed by a temperature function integration technique. The potential proliferation of Escherichia coli was calculated from 50 temperature histories for the persistantly warmest, microbially contaminated regions of product passing through both the carcass cutting and carton cooling phases of the process. The maximum calculated proliferation was similar to, but the average proliferation was more than, the respective values previously obtained for a beef side cooling process that complied with Good Manufacturing Practice. After upgrading of the corton cooling facility the process was re-assessed. Then, for a sample of 50 temperature histories, the maximum proliferation was less than, and the average proliferation was similar to, the respective values for the side cooling process. Observed proliferations of E. coli inocula in cooling cartons of product were compared with the proliferations calculated from temperature histories obtained from sites close to inocula. The pairs of calculated and observed values mostly agree within ±1 generation.