Bacterial spoilage of fresh meat in some selected Lagos markets

Abstract

A study of the bacteria associated with spoilage of fresh meat was carried out. The flora causing spoilage of meat include Alcaligenes liquefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium perfringes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lactobacillus sp., Micrococcus varians, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Sarcina sp. Serratia liquefaciens and Staphylococcus aureus. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most dominant of the isolated species. It was able to utilize glucose as its primary carbon source and grew faster at 4oC than the other meat spoilage organisms. While surface colonies were visible by the third day of incubation, strong spoilage odours were evident by the seventh day on fresh meat inoculated with isolated bacterial cultures. Greening of the fresh meat inoculated with Alcaligenes liquefaciens was also seen as a significant observable change readily indicating meat spoilage.

Ife Journal of Science Vol. 8 (2) 2006: pp. 193-198