Total Number of Colonies in Meat

• Colony

Colony refers to a group of sub-cells formed by a single microbial cell or a bunch of homologous cells, which are visible to the naked eye and have certain characteristics and structures. The total number of colonies refers to the total number of bacterial colonies grown per gram (per milliliter) of samples under certain conditions (such as aerobic conditions, nutrient conditions, pH, culture temperature and time). According to the national standard method, the total number of colonies refers to the total number of bacterial colonies that can grow on ordinary nutrient agar plates under aerobic conditions at 37 ° C for 48 h.

Figure 1. Colony map

• The Regulation of Total Number of Colonies for Meat

The total number of colonies is divided into four grades. Grade I is less than 500,000 cfu/mL, grade II is less than 1 million cfu/mL, grade III is less than 2 million cfu/mL, and grade IV is less than 4 million cfu/mL. The national standard stipulates that the total number of colonies in cooked meat products is ≤30000 cfu/g, and it can be judged as unqualified cooked meat products if it exceeds the national standard. The colony of E. coli in meat products cannot exceed 300 MPN/100 g.

• The Harm of Colony Exceeding the Standard in Meat

Pathogens are the killers of food safety. If they exceed the total number of food colonies, it indicates that the hygienic condition of their products does not meet the basic hygiene requirements. This will destroy the nutrients of the food, accelerate the spoilage of the food, and make the food lose its edible value. Consumers who consume foods that have an excessive amount of microbes are prone to intestinal diseases such as diarrhea, which may cause symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, which may endanger human health and safety. Excessive E. coli in food can cause extraintestinal infections and acute diarrhea. The excessive number of colonies also means that the chances of pathogens exceeding the standard increase. These pathogens will destroy the normal colony environment in the intestines, some may be killed in the intestines, and some will remain in the body to cause diarrhea, damage to liver organs, etc.

• Other EU Requirements for Animal Derived Foods

1. Food should have a clear identity; 2. Food companies should establish a HACCP plan. 3. Special requirements: During the transportation of animals to the slaughterhouse, the welfare requirements of the animals to be slaughtered should be guaranteed. 4. Animals should be fully rested before slaughtering, and animal welfare should be guaranteed. 5. Animal-derived food companies must obtain the registration of the competent authority in accordance with the conditions stipulated by the regulations. 6. Animal slaughtering and segmentation operations must meet specified hygiene requirements.

• Related Regulations

1. https://publications.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/4a061909-740f-47df-913c-663cf1fd5c5b/language-sl/format-PDF/source-76029304

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