Sources of contamination of cooked, ready-to-eat cured and uncured meats

Abstract

Forty-five samples of unsliced, cooked, ready-to-eat meats on sale in retail premises and supermarkets were examined. Thirty-six (80%) had Escherichia coli I and 21 (47%) had coagulase positive staphylococci in numbers ranging from 1 to > 1000/100 cm.(2). Twenty-one samples contained Clostridium spp. in numbers from 1 to > 100/100 cm.(2). Of the 45 samples tested, 11 (factory-produced) and 7 (home-produced) were examined after cooking but before being offered for sale. Cooked hams were contaminated after handling in a factory, as were samples of canned corned beef after sale and exposure for 24 hr. Some sources of contamination were: (a) raw beef, (b) factory and shop surfaces and equipment, and (c) workers' hands. Curing brines used in retail shops and supermarkets to produce corned beef were a potent source of contamination. The effect of holding cooked meats at ambient temperature on their spoilage (22 degrees C) and food-poisoning (37 degrees C) microflora was demonstrated.

Microbiological examination of ready-to-eat stuffing from retail premises in the north-east of England. The 'Get Stuffed' survey

“…In some instances the cooking processes and cooking temperatures were known to be minimal. Cross‐contamination from raw foods to ready‐to‐eat products via handlers, utensils and other vectors is well documented (Dempster et al. 1973; Roberts et al.…”

“…In some instances the cooking processes and cooking temperatures were known to be minimal. Cross-contamination from raw foods to ready-to-eat products via handlers, utensils and other vectors is well documented (Dempster et al 1973;Roberts et al 1978;Scott and Bloomfield 1990;Bradford et al 1997). It was postulated that there was a potential risk of cross-contamination during preparation of the stuffing and that the risk of a pathogen being present in the finished product was high.…”

The effect of three frequently applied antibiotics on the colonization resistance of the digestive tract of mice

“…Because a low CR permits the resistant bacteria to grow out in the intestines to high concentrations of well over 108 bacteria/gram (of faeces), transfer of R-factors between related species is to be expected (Kasuya, 1964;Reed, Sieckmann & Georgi, 1969;Jones & Curtiss, 1970 resistant bacteria, which are already prevalent in the environment of most hospitals. (Dempster, Reid & Cody, 1973;Taplin & Mertz, 1973;Berkowitz et al 1974;Cooke, 1974;Hanson & Shelley, 1974;Horwitz, Finlayson & Brede, 1974;Pash, 1974;Shaffer, 1974;Casewell & Phillips, 1977). Finally induction of resistance and selection of less sensitive mutants may occur particularly in patients who are treated with lower doses of antibiotics.…”

The effect of low temperature on the growth and survival of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium when inoculated on to bacon

“…Thatcher,Robinson & Erdman (1 962) showed that under certain conditions staphylococcal toxin production occurs on bacon and that the toxin can survive cooking at 205°C. Dempster, Reid & Cody (1973) reported that vacuum packed hams were contaminated with coagulase positive staphylococci, during the packaging operation, following cooking. These authors pointed out that if slicing and packing are not hygienically controlled early contamination can take place by human operators, who are a likely source of food poisoning bacteria.…”