Abstract
We examined changes in the count of Pseudomonas spp., which are bacteria that play a significant role in meat spoilage, during processing at a slaughterhouse. Pseudomonas spp. counts on porcine carcasses and in water flowing over the bodies and carcasses were measured. On the upper part of the carcass, Pseudomonas spp. counts ranged from 2.0×100 to 101 cfu/cm2 before full skinning through to the pretreatment process, but decreased to undetectable levels before carcass washing. On the lower part of the carcass, Pseudomonas spp. counts were not detected immediately after partial skinning, but they increased after full skinning, and ranged from 2.0×100 to 101 cfu/cm2 before carcass washing. In the water collected from the carcass we detected Pseudomonas spp. at 103 to 104 cfu/ml. Contamination on the carcass was thus spread by the water.
