Microbial Diversity of Ground Beef Products in South Korean Retail Market Analyzed by PCR-DGGE and 454 Pyrosequencing

The purpose of this study was to assess the microbial community in ground beef purchased from local stores in the north central area of South Korea. A total of 31 ground beef samples showed 3.77 +/- 5.16 x 10(5) CFU/g on aerobic plate counts, and PCR-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was performed to assess the microbial community, which revealed a diverse profile among the products. Four of these samples were selected for further analyses via 454 pyrosequencing. Pseudomonas was the most frequently identified genus in terms of relative abundance (4.54-73.8%), and other bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Acinetobacter, and Carnobacterium were also identified in the ground beef. The presence of bacteria can affect the spoilage of ground beef products depending on the microbial populations, and understanding these populations may help limit spoilage and/or foodborne illness. This study illustrates the microbial diversity occurring among Korean ground beef products, even within a local region, and provides a molecular approach for potential ground beef microbial quality assessment.