Hygiene status of fresh unpacked or vacuum-packed horse meat during refrigerated storage

To investigate the microflora of fresh horse meat as well as to determine the dynamics of the microflora of unpacked or vacuum-packed samples during storage at 2 degrees C muscle tissue samples were taken from 20 horse carcasses during regular slaughter. Microbiological investigations, pl-l-measurement and sensory examinations were carried out at the day of slaughter and after one or two weeks of storage. These investigations led to the result that the level of germ load at the beginning as well as the composition of the microflora of horse meat can be compared to other meat. When the total viable counts reach the corresponding level the typical sensorical changes like grease and deviation of smell are to be noticed. During the storage the pH-value decreased only minimally from 6.1 to 6.0 on an average.