Microbiological survey of prepackaged pâté and ham in New Zealand

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 105 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. © 2005 The Society for Applied Microbiology.