Bacterial Contamination of Recirculating Brine Used in the Commercial Production of Moisture-Enhanced Pork

Abstract

In a commercial process for the production of moisture-enhanced pork, boneless pork loins were conveyed through a recirculating injection apparatus, and brine (sodium phosphate, sodium chloride, and lemon juice solids) was pumped into the meat through banks of needles inserted automatically into the upper surfaces of cuts. Brine samples were collected at intervals during the production process and analyzed to determine the total plate count and the numbers of lactic acid bacteria, pseudomonads, Brochothrix thermosphacta, and Enterobacteriaceae. Listeria monocytogenes numbers in the brine were determined using a PCR with primers for the hemolysin gene in combination with a most probable numbers determination. Maximum numbers of bacteria (log CFU/ml) recovered from the brine after 2.5 h of recirculation were as follows: total plate count, 4.50; lactic acid bacteria, 2.99; pseudomonads, 3.95; B. thermosphacta, 2.79; and enterics, 3.01. There was an increase in the number of L. monocytogenes in the recirculating brine with time, reaching a maximum of 2.34 log CFU/100 ml after 2.5 h of moisture-enhanced pork production. Thus, recirculating brines can harbor large populations of spoilage bacteria and L. monocytogenes and are an important source of contamination for moisture-enhanced pork.

Survival of bacteria in less than thorough cooked, brine-injected steaks

“…Outbreaks of illness associated with the consumption of non-intact beef cuts have involved infection of consumers with Escherichia coli O157:H7 (National Cattlemen's Beef Association, 2006); and Listeria monocytogenes has been isolate from brines used for injection of pork (Greer, Nattress, Dilts, & Baker, 2004). These organisms, rather than salmonellae, would then seem to be the major microbiological hazards associated with non-intact beef cuts.…”

Bacteriology and Meat Quality of Moisture Enhanced Pork from Retail Markets in Canada

“…Bacterial load in injection brines have been shown to increase with processing time by up to 1.5 log CFU· ml -1 through the duration of the moisture-enhancement process (Greer, Nattress, Dilts, & Baker, 2004). Additionally, Bohaychuk and Greer (2003) in their analysis of commercial pork loins observed 2 log CFU· g -1 higher numbers of psychrotrophic bacteria in moisture-enhanced pork when compared to non-injected product; numbers of lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and B. thermosphacta were not different.…”

Modeling Techniques for Prediction of Safe Cooking Times of Mechanically Tenderized Beef Steaks

“…Mechanical tenderization, which involves bladeor needle-piercing, could lead to increased transfer of surface pathogenic bacteria such as, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli O157:H7, into the previously sterile deep tissue (Gill et al, 2005;Huang, 2010;Jefferies et al, 2012;Saha et al, 2016). Furthermore, spoilage and pathogenic bacterial population could increase during reuse of a contaminated needle or blade (Greer et al, 2004;Ray et al, 2010;Jefferies et al, 2012). According to reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mechanical tenderization of beef products has led to six outbreaks in the U.S., since 2000 (Heiman et al, 2015).…”