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Meat Bacteria
Name: Demelza H.
Status: Student
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
I was wondering what sort of bacteria is in meat and if
you could tell me the best media to use and with food poisoning cases
have been in the last five years and what bacteria caused it.
Replies:
There are numerous bacteria found on all surfaces including meat, but I
think
you are interested in bacteria that cause food illnesses. There are also
many of these but the bacteria that has been causing the most interest in
the
last few years is a special kind of E. coli bacteria called E. coli 0:157.
It gets onto meat from infected cows that are slaughtered improperly. For
most people who get infected, they just get very sick with stomach cramps
and
bloody diarrhea, but some people get so sick they can die. When you ask
about media, are you thinking of trying to culture this bacteria? I don't
recommend that. But you can find a ton of information about this bacteria
if
you do a web search.
vanhoeck
Dear Demelza,
A late reply due to vacation. The most common
food-poisening bacteria on meat are Salmonella
enterica, pathogenic E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni.
There are many less common ones. The media required to
grow these are really complex but a start is made on
rich media plates that contain lysed blood, a nice
'meal' for meat-derived bacteria. For Campylobacter
the plates must be incubated under reduced oxygen.
Have a look at the Virtual Museum of Bacteria, in the
section 'food safety' you will find many links on food
poisening bacteria, including from meat. Go there
directly at
www.bacteriamuseum.org/niches/foodsafety/foodsafety.shtml
Trudy Wassenaar
Curator of the Virtual Museum of Bacteria
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Update: June 2012
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