Original scientific paper

Evaluation of shelf life of pre-packed cut poultry meat.

Lidija Kozačinski orcid.org/0000-0002-7534-7362 ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Foodstuffs of Animal Origins, Zagreb, Croatia
Željka Cvrtila Fleck ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Foodstuffs of Animal Origins, Zagreb, Croatia
Zvonimir Kozačinski ; Veterinary station, Velika Gorica, Croatia
Ivana Filipović ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Foodstuffs of Animal Origins, Zagreb, Croatia
Mario Mitak orcid.org/0000-0002-3870-2740 ; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb Croatia
Mario Bratulić ; Puris d.o.o, Pazin, Croatia
Tomislav Mikuš ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Foodstuffs of Animal Origins, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

The results of the analysis of 67 samples of pre-packed cut chicken meat showed that the stability or shelf life of chicken meat (kept on 4 ºC) is six days. Ammonia content was significantly increased after day 3 of storage and reached a maximum level of 9.90 ± 2.3 mg% in chicken fillets and 8.35 ± 1.98 mg% in chicken legs at the end of the investigation on day 6. As regards microbiological quality and contamination with microorganisms, Salmonella spp. (7,5%), S. aureus (17.9%), L. monocytogenes (4,5%) and Enterobacteria (40.30%) were found in the analysed samples of fresh chicken meat. Sulphite reducing clostridia and Campylobacter spp. were not found. Total bacteria count in chicken breast fillets was 4.22 ± 0.84 log10 cfu/g on day 1, 4.65 ± 0.74 log10 cfu/g on day 3 and 5.14 ± 0.86 log10 cfu/g on day 6 of storage. After one, three and six days of storage, total bacteria count in chicken legs was 3.60 ± 0.93 log10cfu/g, 4.01 ± 0.76 log10cfu/g, and 4.56 ± 0.85 log10 cfu/g, respectively. The overall results of the study suggest that the potentially significant risk of meat deterioration and increase in the number and diversity of bacteria species depends on the processing of chicken meat. Considering the obtained results of the study, the indication of shelf life of chicken meat for sale should be supplemented with the note “best before”.

Keywords

shelf-life; poultry meat; ammonia; microbiological quality

Hrčak ID:

77392

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/77392

Publication date:

6.2.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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