A microbiological survey of fresh meat in the supermarket trade. Part 1: Carcasses and contact surfaces.

Sanitary conditions were monitored at eleven supermarkets (from two major chains, Sup groups A & B) in the South African butcher industry. The variables measured were the temperature of carcasses and environments, the muscle pH of carcasses and the microbiological status of carcasses and human or personal and equipment contact surfaces (chillers-three surfaces, delivery trucks-five surfaces, cutting rooms-16 surfaces). All supermarkets, except one, received beef carcasses, distributed by one of two wholesale organizations from the same abattoir. No consistency was found in the contamination level of different parts of carcasses at different supermarkets, although there was a tendency for fore quarters to be more contaminated than hind quarters. Chiller surfaces, delivery truck surfaces and equipment had significantly different microbial counts at the different supermarkets. Sup group B received carcasses with higher mean surface temperatures and microbial counts than those of the carcasses received by Sup group A, but the mean microbial count of equipment was lower than that encountered at Sup group A. The result was less contaminated meat at the supermarkets in Sup group B, illustrating how a combination of the microbial quality of carcasses received by such supermarkets, and the sanitary programme in operation at such supermarkets affects the contamination level of retail premises. It could furthermore be shown that personnel surfaces (hands and clothes) and equipment like saws and mincers are consistent contributors to contamination at the retail level of the meat industry.