Abstract
The unrestricted growth of micro-organisms in meat products leads to spoilage and therefore it is necessary to consider whether meat products should be made to conform to microbial. standards. This question raises many problems which can be solved only in the distant future. However, an understanding of the rôle of micro-organisms in the manufacture of meat products suggests that in the immediate future it is possible to effect a considerable improvement in micro-biological quality. In order to achieve this result, education and advisory services will play an important part. It is important that pathogenic bacteria should be excluded from meat products, but it must be appre ciated that this problem concerns only a few of the micro-organisms which may adversely effect meat products. Furthermore, it is difficult to convince many of those concerned in food production that traditional methods should be improved if our arguments are related solely to the prevention of food-poisoning.
The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and are not necessarily those of the Ministry of Food.
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