Coagulase positive Staphylococci on Australian beef carcases
| Project start date: | 01 January 1995 |
| Project end date: | 01 January 1997 |
| Publication date: | 01 January 1997 |
| Project status: | Completed |
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Summary
As a result of the survey of the 'Microbiological Quality of Australian Meat', also referred to as the Baseline Survey, two areas of concern were identified, one of which was the high incidence of coagulase positive staphylococci on beef carcases.Coagulase positive staphylococci were isolated from 28.9% of beef carcases analysed, 29.3% and 18.8% from export and domestic markets, respectively.
This incidence is in marked contrast with the USA, where a detection rate of 4.2% is reported, and also supports reports from Japan of the detection of these bacteria on Australian meat.
Staphylococci are ubiquitous in nature, although they are mainly found on the skin and mucous membranes of mammals and birds.
Staphylococcus aureus are important to the food industry as some strains are able to cause a variety of infections in food animals, and others are the cause of human foodborne intoxication.
The latter results from the ingestion of food in which enterotoxigenic strains have grown to sufficient levels to allow a toxic dose of staphylococcal enterotoxin to be produced before consumption.
S. aureus was considered for many years to be the only enterotoxigenic species, however, other species such as S.hyicus and S. intermedius may also form enterotoxins.
It is currently recommended that all coagulase positive staphylococci be considered potential food safety hazards.
This study was undertaken to investigate the reasons for the high incidence of coagulase positive staphylococci reported in the Baseline Study of Australian Meat and potential approaches for their control. The specific aims were to:
determine the source of contamination of beef carcasses with coagulase positive staphylococci from slaughter to chilling
specifically identify the Staphylococcus spp. present on carcasses and to assess the public health risk
identify critical limits of control points for coagulase positive staphylococci on animal carcases
recommend strategies for the control of coagulase positive staphylococci on carcases
More information
| Project manager: | Jane Weatherley |
| Primary researcher: | P Desmarchelier |
