Evaluation of Biological Critical Control Points Using Escherichia coli Genotyping

초록

This Study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of biological critical control points using the genetic profile of Escherichia coli isolates from pork cutting plants. Samples were collected from carcasses, equipment (knife, table, glove, transport belt, boning and skinning machine), the environment (wall and floor), and meat cuts during the cutting process from two plants. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to characterize the E. coli isolates. All identical genotype was detected from the carcasses, equipment, environment, and final Meat Cuts, and showed that the incoming carcasses, which were contaminated during transportation from slaughterhouses, were a major source of E. coli that was spread throughout processing. Also, consistent cross-contamination due to improper cleaning and disinfection procedures was another possibility. As a result, incoming carcasses and cleaning procedures should be considered critical control points in pork cutting plants, since a heating step is not used to inactivate microorganisms. Furthermore, the high rate (59.6%) of E. coli isolation indicates E. coli can be a good indicator in livestock processing plants even though it has genetic diversity.

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