Validation of bacon processing conditions to verify control of Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus.

It is unclear how rapidly meat products, such as bacon, that have been heat treated but not fully cooked should be cooled to prevent the outgrowth of spore-forming bacterial pathogens and limit the growth of vegetative cells. Clostridium perfringens spores and vegetative cells and Staphylococcus aureus cells were inoculated into ground cured pork bellies with and without 1.25% liquid smoke.

Incidence of Clostridium perfringens in commercially produced cured raw meat product mixtures and behavior in cooked products during chilling and refrigerated storage.

A total of 445 whole-muscle and ground or emulsified raw pork, beef, and chicken product mixtures acquired from industry sources were monitored over a 10-month period for vegetative and spore forms of Clostridium perfringens. Black colonies that formed on Shahidi-Ferguson perfringens (SFP) agar after 24 h at 37 degrees C were considered presumptive positive. Samples that were positive after a 15-min heat shock at 75 degrees C were considered presumptive positive for spores.