Microbial contamination of meat at a low temperature storage: A review

Abstract

Beef, mutton, lamb, and camel are all high-quality protein sources in Egypt and around the world. Red meat with a protein content of about 20%, a high moisture content (75%), fat (5.2%), carbohydrate (1.5%), vitamins such as vitamin B complex, and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus are important in human nutrition because they can meet a portion of man's daily needs for these nutrients. Low temperature storage of meat either at chilling or freezing conditions is very popular worldwide for the purposes of meat security, meat transportation, and overseas trade. However, the microbial quality of the meat at low temperature storage represents a challenging task for both the food safety and public health sectors.  This review threw the light on the microbial status of chilled and frozen meat with a particular focus on the contamination of meat with Pseudomonas spp.