History of the Landmark U.S. Ergonomics Guidelines for Meatpacking.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS The 1990 publication of the Ergonomics Program Management Guidelines for Meatpacking Plants by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was a milestone in the history of occupational ergonomics and the prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). This paper provides an overview of the development of these guidelines based on personal experience and perception, with special emphasis of the central role the industry trade association, the American Meat Institute (AMI). Industry-wide efforts were successful in reducing the extremely high rates of WMSDs in the U.S. meatpacking industry. Described here are the specific steps the AMI undertook, which serve as a model for other groups on ways to address shared problems. Insights are also offered on why these OSHA guidelines were accepted by industry and succeeded, while other equivalent standards did not - including to some extent the de facto application of concepts of cognitive ergonomics to government documents. This report addresses specific events in the U.S., but the implications are broader and have potential widespread relevance.

"Clean label" as one of the leading trends in the meat industry in the world and in Poland ­ a review

The contemporary market of food products is highly variable. The reason for this is, among others the significant number of factors governing consumer choices in relation to food. Research results indicate that Polish consumers are increasingly declaring their interest in food features such as sensory and health properties, and safety. Most likely, social education, campaigns of food societies and own initiatives of food producers promoting new, "healthy" products have contributed to this. Among other things, the ever increasing consumer knowledge on the relationship between lifestyle and diet and health has become for many food businesses prerequisite for the development and marketing of new products. In food production in the world and in Poland the so-called "clean label" trend is one of fastest growing initiatives aimed at improving the health quality of foods. The "clean label" has not yet been defined in food law and is understood rather subjectively. Generally, this term is attributed to products free from "artificial" additives and produced by "natural" or based on a traditional recipe methods known to consumers. In the article, based on the available literature, selected trends in food production at the beginning of the 21st century, with particular emphasis on "clean label" have been discussed. Taking meat processing industry as an example, the measures undertaken by the companies of food industry to produce "clean label" food products have been illustrated. In addition, consumer attitudes toward contemporary trends in the food market, including meat and meat products, have been characterized. In conclusion, the need for legislative intervention to provide appropriate definition for the term "clean label" and the need for consumer education about assessment of quality of foods are emphasized.

Monitoring lean meat percentage predictions from optical grading probes by a commercial cutting pattern.

The lean meat percentage (LMP) classification in Norwegian slaughterhouses is obtained by Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP7), an optical tool. Even though the HGP7 method is validated frequently, there is industrial and legislative demand to reconsider the applied LMP equation, typically due to the introduction of new breeds. A deboning pilot plant generates precise yield data using cutting and deboning stratified pork carcasses by a specific commercial cutting pattern (CCP) at an annual rate of approximately 250 slaughter pigs. This paper shows how results obtained by CCP can be used to measure LMP in pork and how these results can be used for monitoring the quality of LMP predicted by HGP7. The effect of gender, maternal- and paternal lines on validity of HGP7 predictions was evaluated. The effect of introducing a new maternal line (TN70) seems to be substantial, whereas the effects of the tested paternal lines are small to negligible.

Survey for Toxoplasma gondii by PCR detection in meat for human consumption in Colombia.

The overall risk for toxoplasmosis in meat produced in Colombia is unknown. We analyzed by PCR assay meat samples for human consumption in two types of plants in Colombia: 120 samples from class I plants (60 samples from chicken, 30 from swine and 30 from beef) and 60 from class II plants (30 samples from beef and 30 from swine). Presence of Toxoplasma DNA was established by targeted B1 nested PCR assay. We detected 79 (43%) samples that were positive by B1 nested PCR (33 from chicken, 22 from beef, and 24 from pork). No differences were found by region or species. Eleven positive samples were confirmed by sequencing of the B1 repeated region. Some polymorphisms were detected without relation with clonal groups nor meat species. Food animals are highly exposed to Toxoplasma in Colombia. Detailed studies are needed to establish the reasons for differences in Toxoplasma prevalence between farms, regarding practices of animal food production.

The relationship between pre-harvest stress and the carcass characteristics of beef heifers that qualified for kosher designation.

Differences in pre-harvest stress measurements and carcass characteristics between kosher and not-qualified-as-kosher cattle were evaluated. Finished heifers (n=157) were slaughtered by a shochet while held in an upright position using Glatt slaughter procedures. Stress measurements were collected prior to slaughter. Carcass data were collected, and 3.8-cm thick samples were taken from the loin at the 13th rib. Steaks from each sample were evaluated for mechanical tenderness and simulated retail display. Cattle with shorter times from gate to exsanguination and lower vocalization scores were more likely (P < 0.01) to qualify as kosher. Kosher carcasses had larger (P = 0.02) ribeye areas and higher (P < 0.0001) Warner-Bratzler shear values. At each day of simulated retail display, kosher steaks had lower (P < 0.05) L*, a*, and b* values. These data suggest that body composition and pre-harvest stress affect the likelihood of a beef animal qualifying as kosher and quality differences exist between kosher and non-kosher steaks.

On physiological demands and sustainability in meat cutting.

Meat cutters' work has been investigated by several researchers. However, knowledge about the physiological demands of meat cutting is almost lacking. The aim of this explorative study was to assess physiological demands in meat cutting, to compare them with International Labour Organization (ILO) recommendations for acceptable workload and to discuss the findings in relation to individual and work-related factors. In accordance with the ILO recommendations, work was categorised as sustainable or non-sustainable based on critical relative aerobic strain (RAS) levels. Twenty-one beef and pork cutters participated in the study, which included workload measurements, assessment of workplace and individual factors. Thirteen meat cutters were categorised as having non-sustainable and eight as having sustainable work. Results suggest that the workload is higher in beef cutting than in pork cutting, and that longer work experience is related to lower RAS. Other factors contributing to the physical workload are discussed. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: Meat-cutting work may exceed recommended physical workload levels. Beef cutting is physically more demanding than pork cutting. Furthermore, factors such as years in the profession, knife sharpness, work pace, wage system, working technique, maximum oxygen uptake level and muscular strength should be considered when planning actions regarding the workload for meat cutters.

Quantitative effects of in-line operations on Campylobacter and Escherichia coli through two Australian broiler processing plants.

Campylobacter is an important food borne pathogen, mainly associated with poultry. A lack of through-chain quantitative Campylobacter data has been highlighted within quantitative risk assessments. The aim of this study was to quantitatively and qualitatively measure Campylobacter and Escherichia coli concentration on chicken carcasses through poultry slaughter. Chickens (n=240) were sampled from each of four flocks along the processing chain, before scald, after scald, before chill, after chill, after packaging and from individual caeca. The overall prevalence of Campylobacter after packaging was 83% with a median concentration of 0.8log10CFU/mL. The processing points of scalding and chilling had significant mean reductions of both Campylobacter (1.8 and 2.9log10CFU/carcase) and E. coli (1.3 and 2.5log10CFU/carcase). The concentration of E. coli and Campylobacter was significantly correlated throughout processing indicating that E. coli may be a useful indicator organism for reductions in Campylobacter concentration. The carriage of species varied between flocks, with two flocks dominated by Campylobacter coli and two flocks dominated by Campylobacter jejuni. Current processing practices can lead to significant reductions in the concentration of Campylobacter on carcasses. Further understanding of the variable effect of processing on Campylobacter and the survival of specific genotypes may enable more targeted interventions to reduce the concentration of this poultry associated pathogen.

Beta agonists in livestock feed: status, health concerns, and international trade.

Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ractopamine hydrochloride and zilpaterol hydrochloride in animal feeds, usage of those compounds has been a topic of worldwide debate. Ractopamine and zilpaterol are ß-adrenergic agonists used as veterinary drugs to increase weight gain in certain animals raised for food. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) established maximum residue limits for ractopamine, which were adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). No maximum residue limits for zilpaterol have been adopted by JECFA, and new reports of animal mobility issues confront the use of this feed additive. However, many countries disagree with the Codex standards and are restricting or banning meat products containing ß agonists. The bans by major importers of U.S. meat products have prompted some to advocate that the United States use the World Trade Organization dispute settlement body. This paper looks at the developments to provide a fuller accounting of what the issues may mean to U.S. firms selling meat products containing residues of ß agonists.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in cattle food chains - prevalence, diversity, and antimicrobial resistance in Germany.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been found in various farm animal species throughout the world. It was the objective of this study to estimate the prevalence of MRSA in different cattle food chains (milk, beef, and veal) in Germany, to analyze the MRSA diversity along each food chain and to compare the characteristics of the different subtypes. Samples were collected between 2009 and 2012 from dairy herds (bulk tank milk), veal herds (dust from the stables), veal calves, and beef cattle at slaughter (nasal swabs) and carcasses of veal calves (surface cuts) and beef as well as veal at retail. Sampling was proportionally distributed over the country according to the cattle population (on-farm sampling), slaughterhouse capacity (abattoir samples), and the human population (meat at retail). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus were isolated using harmonized methods from all sample types and populations investigated. The highest proportion of positive samples was found in nasal swabs from veal calves at slaughter in 2012 (144/320; 45.0%) and the lowest rate in bulk tank milk in 2009 (14/388; 4.1%). Most isolates, irrespective of the origin, were from spa types t011 and t034. Both have been assigned to the clonal complex (CC) 398. Few isolates (15/632; 2.4%) were from spa types not associated with the CC398. Spa-type patterns were similar along individual food chains but differed between food chains. Antimicrobial resistance patterns differed between isolates from the different food chains and spa types. Isolates from the veal chain displayed the highest resistance rates. We conclude that there is substantial diversity in the MRSA prevalence across different cattle production sectors.

Safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices of private and government meat processing plants' workers: implications for future policy.

INTRODUCTION: Food-borne disease outbreaks remain a major global health challenge and cross-contamination from raw meat due to poor handling is a major cause in developing countries. Adequate knowledge of meat handlers is important in limiting these outbreaks. This study evaluated and compared the safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of private (PMPP) and government meat processing plants' (GMPP) workers in south-western Nigeria. METHODS: This cross sectional study comprised 190 meat handlers (PMPP = 55; GMPP = 135). Data concerning their safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices as well as their socio-demographic characteristics, such as age, gender and work experience were collected. RESULTS: A significant association was observed between the type of meat processing plants and their knowledge (p = 0.000), attitudes (p = 0.000) and practices (p = 0.000) of safe meat-handling. Meat handlers in the GMPP were respectively, about 17 times (OR = 0.060, 95% CI: 0.018-0.203), 57 times (OR = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.007-0.054) and 111 times (OR = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.001- 0.067) less likely to obtain good knowledge, attitude and practice level of safe meat-handling than those from PMPP. Further, KAP levels were significantly associated with age group, education and work experience (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Study findings suggest the need for future policy in food industry in developing countries to accommodate increased involvement of private sector for improved food safety and quality delivery. Public health education on safe food handling and hygiene should be on the front burner among food handlers in general.

Analysis of the variation in meat inspection of pigs using variance partitioning.

According to legal regulations, all slaughtered pigs in the European Union are subject to routine meat inspection at the slaughterhouses. The resulting post-mortem findings are valuable indicators that help improve slaughterhouse and farm management and can be used to establish a feedback system regarding animal health. A sufficiently high quality of meat inspection is therefore imperative, which implies that the results of the inspection must not depend on the person carrying out the examination. The objective of the study at hand is the estimation of the amount of variation in these post-mortem findings that can be attributed to the official meat inspectors. In order to reduce the influence of the heterogeneity in the health state of the pigs, the variation due to the farms of origin was considered in the statistical model as well. The analyzed meat inspection data were recorded by 12 official meat inspectors under real working conditions at an Austrian slaughterhouse. Logistic Multilevel Models with cross-classified random effects were applied to 20 post-mortem findings. On the basis of these models, variance partitioning coefficients (VPCs) were used to estimate the amount of variation in the probabilities of these findings due to meat inspector and farm levels. The estimated VPCs suggest that especially meat inspection of blood aspiration, scalding water lungs, skin lesions and hepatitis can be deemed as not sufficiently standardized. Hardly any variation in meat inspection could be identified for other post-mortem findings, such as pericarditis, peritonitis, arthritis and milkspots.

Relationship between the numbers of Escherichia coli and the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on hides of carcasses at a large beef packing plant.

Due to the expense of monitoring multiple serotypes of Escherichia coli at slaughter, a study was conducted at a beef abattoir in southern Alberta to determine relationships between E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 on hides. Swab samples were collected from carcasses immediately prior to hide removal over 8 weeks in summer (n = 591) and winter (n = 686). Detection of E. coli was highest in summer (P < 0.05), although detection of E. coli O157:H7 did not differ by season. Numbers of E. coli did not vary by season, but were affected by slaughter plant hygiene schedules. E. coli O157:H7 was more likely (P < 0.001) to be detected on hides of carcasses with the most E. coli (>3.5 log CFU/50 cm²). For E. coli < 3.5 log CFU/50 cm², the likelihood of detecting E. coli O157:H7 did not differ. Consequently, for 83% of carcasses, there was no relationship between numbers of E. coli and detection of E. coli O157:H7 on hides.

Phase I of The National Beef Quality Audit-2011: quantifying willingness-to-pay, best-worst scaling, and current status of quality characteristics in different beef industry marketing sectors.

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2011 benchmarked the current status of and assessed progress being made toward quality and consistency of U.S. cattle, carcasses, and beef products after the completion of the first NBQA in 1991. Unlike previous NBQA, objectives of the 2011 Phase I study were to determine how each beef market sector defined 7 quality categories, estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the same quality categories by market sector, and establish a best-worst (B/W) scaling for the quality categories. Structured face-to-face interviews were conducted and responses were recorded using dynamic routing software over an 11-mo period (February to December 2011) with decision makers in each of the following beef market sectors: Feeders (n = 59), Packers (n = 26), Food Service, Distribution, and Further Processors (n = 48), Retailers (n = 30), and Government and Allied Industries (n = 47). All respondents participated in a structured interview consisting of WTP and B/W questions that were tied to 7 quality categories and then were asked to "define" each of the 7 categories in terms of what the category meant to them, resulting in completely unbiased results. The 7 quality categories were a) how and where the cattle were raised, b) lean, fat, and bone, c) weight and size, d) cattle genetics, e) visual characteristics, f) food safety, and g) eating satisfaction. Overall, "food safety" and "eating satisfaction" were the categories of greatest and second most importance, respectively, to all beef market sectors except for Feeders. Feeders ranked "how and where the cattle were raised" and "weight and size" as the most important and second most important, respectively. Overall, "how and where the cattle were raised" had the greatest odds of being considered a nonnegotiable requirement before the raw material for each sector would be considered for purchase and was statistically more important (P < 0.05) as a requirement for purchase than all other categories except "food safety." When all market sectors were considered, "eating satisfaction" was shown to generate the greatest average WTP percentage premium (11.1%), but that WTP premium value only differed statistically (P < 0.05) from "weight and size" (8.8%). Most notably, when a sector said that "food safety" was a nonnegotiable requirement, no sector was willing to purchase the product at a discounted price if the "food safety" of the product could not be assured.

Surface behaviour of S. Typhimurium, S. Derby, S. Brandenburg and S. Infantis.

Cross-contamination due to Salmonella on the surface of processing equipment greatly contributes to contamination of pork products. Therefore, a clear understanding of surface and survival behaviour of relevant Salmonella serovars in pork processing environments is needed to develop better strategies for Salmonella control. Within this study the biofilm forming behaviour of S. Typhimurium, S. Derby, S. Brandenburg and S. Infantis isolates was analysed using the crystal violet assay. This assay, commonly used to analyse total biofilm formation, revealed variation in biofilm forming capacity between and within serovars. This has not been shown before for S. Derby, S. Brandenburg and S. Infantis. From each serovar, isolates with different biofilm forming capacity were selected to analyse biofilm formation on stainless steel. This revealed no significant differences between biofilm formation on polystyrene compared to stainless steel. Furthermore a relation was observed between biofilm forming capacity of an isolate and survival on stainless steel surfaces. On such surfaces, biofilms showed greater and longer survival than planktonic cells, and they were less susceptible to peracetic acid disinfection treatments. However, the latter effect was marginal and only observed in the presence of organic material, which drastically decreased the activity of peracetic acid. With the obtained results a hierarchical cluster was also performed to identify differences and similarities between the four different serovars. This indicated that the surface behaviour of S. Typhimurium was more comparable to S. Infantis than to S. Derby or S. Brandenburg.

Comparison of aerial counts at different sites in beef and sheep abattoirs and the relationship between aerial and beef carcass contamination.

The study examined and compared levels of aerial contamination in commercial beef and sheep plants at four sites, i.e. lairage, hide/fleece pulling, evisceration and chilling. Aerial contamination was determined by impaction and sedimentation onto Plate Count Agar to enumerate Total Viable Counts, MacConkey Agar to enumerate coliforms and Violate Red Bile Glucose Agar to enumerate Enterobacteriaceae. AS I cannot see any difference in the text here - I am not sure what the change is?. The levels of aerial contamination were similar at equivalent sites in beef and sheep plants, irrespective of the sampling method or the type of organisms recovered. Mean log counts recovered on each medium in the chillers were generally significantly lower (P < .05) than the corresponding mean log numbers recovered at the other three sites. The relationship between impaction (air) and sedimentation (surface) counts could be described by the surface to air ratio (SAR) which in this study had an R(2) of 0.77. Further studies in an experimental plant compared counts recovered from the neck of beef carcasses with aerial counts determined by impaction and sedimentation onto agar and irradiated meat pieces. A relationship between counts on beef carcasses and in the air could not be established, irrespective of the method used to compare counts.

National Beef Quality Audit-2011: Survey of instrument grading assessments of beef carcass characteristics.

The instrument grading assessments for the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit evaluated seasonal trends of beef carcass quality and yield attributes over the course of the year. One week of instrument grading data, HCW, gender, USDA quality grade (QG), and yield grade (YG) factors, were collected every other month (n = 2,427,074 carcasses) over a 13-mo period (November 2010 through November 2011) from 4 beef processing corporations, encompassing 17 federally inspected beef processing facilities, to create a "snapshot" of carcass quality and yield attributes and trends from carcasses representing approximately 8.5% of the U.S. fed steer and heifer population. Mean yield traits were YG (2.86), HCW (371.3 kg), fat thickness (1.19 cm.), and LM area (88.39 cm(2)). The YG distribution was YG 1, 15.7%; YG 2, 41.0%; YG 3, 33.8%; YG 4, 8.5%; and YG 5, 0.9%. Distribution of HCW was <272.2 kg, 1.6%; 272.2 to 453.6 kg, 95.1%; and ≥453.6 kg, 3.3%. Monthly HCW means were November 2010, 381.3 kg; January 2011, 375.9 kg; March 2011, 366.2 kg; May 2011, 357.9 kg; July 2011, 372.54 kg; September 2011, 376.1 kg; and November 2011, 373.5 kg. The mean fat thickness for each month was November 2010, 1.30 cm; January 2011, 1.22 cm; March 2011, 1.17 cm; May 2011, 1.12 cm; July 2011, 1.19 cm; September 2011, 1.22 cm; and November 2011, 1.22 cm. The overall average marbling score was Small(49). The USDA QG distribution was Prime, 2.7%; Top Choice, 22.9%; Commodity Choice, 38.6%; and Select, 31.5%. Interestingly, from November to May, seasonal decreases (P < 0.001) in HCW and fat thicknesses were accompanied by increases (P < 0.001) in marbling. These data present the opportunity to further investigate the entire array of factors that determine the value of beef. Data sets using the online collection of electronic data will likely be more commonly used when evaluating the U.S. fed steer and heifer population in future studies.

National Beef Quality Audit-2011: In-plant survey of targeted carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, value, and marketing of fed steers and heifers.

The 2011 National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA-2011) assessed the current status of quality and consistency of fed steers and heifers. Beef carcasses (n = 9,802), representing approximately 10% of each production lot in 28 beef processing facilities, were selected randomly for the survey. Carcass evaluation for the cooler assessment of this study revealed the following traits and frequencies: sex classes of steer (63.5%), heifer (36.4%), cow (0.1%), and bullock (0.03%); dark cutters (3.2%); blood splash (0.3%); yellow fat (0.1%); calloused rib eye (0.05%); overall maturities of A (92.8%), B (6.0%), and C or greater (1.2%); estimated breed types of native (88.3%), dairy type (9.9%), and Bos indicus (1.8%); and country of origin of United States (97.7%), Mexico (1.8%), and Canada (0.5%). Certified or marketing program frequencies were age and source verified (10.7%), ≤A(40) (10.0%), Certified Angus Beef (9.3%), Top Choice (4.1%), natural (0.6%), and Non-Hormone-Treated Cattle (0.5%); no organic programs were observed. Mean USDA yield grade (YG) traits were USDA YG (2.9), HCW (374.0 kg), adjusted fat thickness (1.3 cm), LM area (88.8 cm2), and KPH (2.3%). Frequencies of USDA YG distributions were YG 1, 12.4%; YG 2, 41.0%; YG 3, 36.3%; YG 4, 8.6%; and YG 5, 1.6%. Mean USDA quality grade (QG) traits were USDA quality grade (Select(93)), marbling score (Small(40)), overall maturity (A(59)), lean maturity (A(54)), and skeletal maturity (A(62)). Frequencies of USDA QG distributions were Prime, 2.1%; Choice, 58.9%; Select, 32.6%; and Standard or less, 6.3%. Marbling score distribution was Slightly Abundant or greater, 2.3%; Moderate, 5.0%; Modest, 17.3%; Small, 39.7%; Slight, 34.6%; and Traces or less, 1.1%. Carcasses with QG of Select or greater and YG 3 or less represented 85.1% of the sample. This is the fifth benchmark study measuring targeted carcass characteristics, and information from this survey will continue to help drive progress in the beef industry. Results will be used in extension and educational programs as teaching tools to inform beef producers and industry professionals of the current state of the U.S. beef industry.

National Beef Quality Audit-2011: Harvest-floor assessments of targeted characteristics that affect quality and value of cattle, carcasses, and byproducts.

The National Beef Quality Audit-2011 (NBQA-2011) was conducted to assess targeted characteristics on the harvest floor that affect the quality and value of cattle, carcasses, and byproducts. Survey teams evaluated approximately 18,000 cattle/carcasses between May and November 2011 in 8 beef processing facilities. Cattle identification methods were lot visual tags (85.7%), individual visual tags (50.6%), electronic tags (20.1%), metal-clip tags (15.7%), other (5.3%), none (2.5%), and wattles (0.5%). Hide colors or breed types were black (61.1%), red (12.8%), yellow (8.7%), Holstein (5.5%), brown (5.0%), gray (5.0%), white (1.4%), and brindle (1.0%). Brand frequencies were none (55.2%), 1 (40.4%), 2 (4.4%), and 3 or more (0.04%) brands, and brands were located on the butt (35.2%), side (9.0%), and shoulder (2.5%). Hide locations of mud or manure were no mud/manure (49.2%), legs (36.8%), belly (23.7%), side (14.9%), top-line (11.0%), and tail region (13.7%). There were 76.2% of cattle without horns, and the majority of those with horns (71.6%) were between 0 cm and 12.7 cm in length. Permanent incisor numbers were zero (87.3%), 1 (1.4%), 2 (8.0%), 3 (0.9%), 4 (1.9%), 5 (0.3%), 6 (0.2%), 7 (0.1%), and 8 (0.02%). Most carcasses (77.0%) were not bruised, 18.7% had 1 bruise, 3.4% had 2 bruises, 0.6% had 3 bruises, and 0.3% had more than 3 bruises. Bruise locations were loin (50.1%), rib (21.3%), chuck (13.8%), round (7.3%), and brisket/flank/plate (7.5%). Condemnation item and incidence were whole carcass (none recorded), liver (20.9%), lungs (17.3%), tongue (10.0%), viscera (9.3%), and head (7.2%). Compared with the NBQA-2005, the NBQA-2011 had an increased percentage of black-hided cattle (56.3 vs. 61.1%), more cattle with brands (38.7 vs. 44.8%), and more cattle with some form of identification (93.3 vs. 97.5%). In addition, there was a lesser percentage of carcasses with bruising in 2011 (23.0%) than in 2005 (35.2%), as well as a smaller percentage of carcasses with more than 1 bruise (2005 = 9.4% vs. 2011 = 4.2%). Compared with the 2005 audit, a similar percentage of the cattle were deemed 30 mo of age or older using dentition (2005 = 2.7% vs. 2011 = 3.3%). The information from NBQA-2011 helps the beef industry measure progress against previous NBQA assessments and provides a benchmark for future educational and research activities.

Bacterial diversity and spoilage-related microbiota associated with freshly prepared chicken products under aerobic conditions at 4°C.

This study analyzed the bacterial diversity and spoilage-related microbiota associated with freshly prepared chicken products stored aerobically at 4°C, using "bone and chicken string," a product popular in the People's Republic of China, as the study subject. Samples collected from three different factories were tray packaged with cling film and stored at 4°C. Bacterial diversity and dominant bacteria were analyzed using PCR amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Combined with selective cultivation of the dominant bacteria and correlation analysis, the dominant spoilage microbiota was determined. The results showed that bacterial diversity varied with different manufacturers. Such bacteria as Acinetobacter sp., Carnobacterium sp., Rahnella sp., Pseudomonas sp., Brochothrix sp., and Weissella sp. were detected in freshly prepared chicken products during storage. And Carnobacterium sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Brochothrix sp. bacteria were the common dominant spoilage bacteria groups in most freshly prepared chicken products from different factories. Carnobacterium was, for the first time, shown to be an important contributor to the spoilage-related microflora of freshly prepared chicken products stored aerobically under refrigeration. Our work shows the bacterial diversity and dominant spoilage microbiota of freshly prepared chicken products stored aerobically under refrigeration.