Comparison of baseline bacterial levels in retail ground beef originating from different regulatory, processing, and packaging environments

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to collect baseline measures of bacteria present in retail ground beef offered for sale in Saskatchewan and to assess differences associated with the licensing or regulatory environment of the packaging and processing facilities as indicated by package labeling. Packages of ground beef (n = 309) were purchased from May 2011 to May 2012. Retail samples were categorized as originating from facilities regulated by the federal government or licensed by the provincial government (n = 126), originating from facilities licensed by local health regions (n = 80), or having no inspection or source information on the package label (n = 103). Total aerobic plate counts and total Escherichia coli plate counts were determined using 3M Petrifilm methods. Total bacterial load was estimated using real-time quantitative PCR. The data were analyzed on a log scale using multivariable linear regression, accounting for season and whether the samples were fresh or frozen at purchase. Total aerobic plate counts and Escherichia coli plate counts were lower in samples from federally regulated or provincially licensed facilities than in samples from locally licensed facilities (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively) or in samples with no inspection information on the label (P < 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively). Frozen ground beef from federally regulated or provincially licensed facilities had the lowest total bacterial load. Samples clearly labeled as packaged at federally regulated or provincially licensed facilities consistently had the lowest estimated bacterial levels. Copyright ©, The Public Health Agency of Canada and the University of Saskatchewan.