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  • Title: Microbiological survey of prepackaged pâté and ham in New Zealand.
    Author: Wong TL, Carey-Smith GV, Hollis L, Hudson JA.
    Journal: Lett Appl Microbiol; 2005; 41(2):106-11. PubMed ID: 16033505.
    Abstract:
    AIMS: To gauge the effectiveness of pâté and ham manufacturers' management of the microbial safety and quality of their products. METHODS AND RESULTS: A survey of 60 batches of prepackaged pâté showed that 41.7% of the batches had aerobic plate counts (APC) exceeding 10(5) CFU g(-1), one of pâté sample contained a Bacillus cereus count of >5000 CFU g(-1) and another contained 1700 CFU g(-1) of Listeria monocytogenes. No other pathogens were isolated from any of the samples. The survey of prepackaged ham showed that only 1% (1/104) of the ham samples were positive for L. monocytogenes (50 CFU g(-1)). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of microbial hazards in these foods has generally declined since the early 1990s in New Zealand. Noncomplying APC levels may be due to an over-estimation of product shelf life or poor food handling practices during manufacture. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Few of the samples tested contained pathogens at significant levels. The prevalences of L. monocytogenes in pâté and ham were low. The presence of 1700 CFU g(-1) of L. monocytogenes in a pâté sample indicates that occasionally, the population can be exposed to levels of L. monocytogenes above the zero tolerance level set in New Zealand.
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