The bacteriological quality of unfrozen raw ground beef was evaluated after 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 days of storage at 29 +/- 1 F (-1.7 +/- 0.6 C). At the time of fabrication, all of the ground beef samples contained 10(6) or fewer total aerobic and psychrotrophic bacteria/g; 81% contained 100 or fewer coliforms/g; 94% contained 100 or fewer Escherichia coli/g; and all of the samples contained 100 or fewer coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens/g. Total aerobic and psychrotrophic bacteria increased by 1 log between 3 and 18 days of storage. Coliform and E. coli counts decreased during storage, whereas coagulase-positive S. aureus and C. perfringens counts did not change significantly. These data indicate that meat processors, wholesalers, and retailers could improve the bacteriological quality and prolong the shelf life of ground beef packaged in oxygen-impermeable film if the temperature of product never exceeded 29 +/- 1 F (-1.7 +/- 0.6 C).
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