Comparison of the Real-time Microrespirometer and Aerobic Plate Count Methods for Determination of Microbial Quality in Ground Beef

摘要

Real-time microrespirometer measurements were compared with the aerobic plate count (APC) method to assess microbial quality of ground beef stored at 4 ℃ and 7 ℃ with and without previous freezing. The samples were monitored daily for CO_2 evolution rate (CER) using a microrespirometer, APC, and were evaluated for color and odor changes by a sensory panel. The CER was highly correlated with the APC for all storage conditions (r~2 = 0.787 to 0.952). The onset of meat spoilage was more closely associated with a specific CER value (>25 μ L/h/g) than APC. The new method was found to be more accurate in predicting meat spoilage, especially for previously frozen samples.