The detection of the microbiological status in minced meat - Validation of a new rapid method using flow cytometry

For the validation of the rapid method flow cytometry by using the D-Count"' for the determination of the bacterial status in minced meat, 102 different minced meat samples (pig, beef, turkey hen, mixed and deep-frozen minced meat) were examined during this study. Simultaneously to the rapid method the plate count technique was used as reference method according to 64 LFGB L 00.0088 (German food legislation) for the comparison of the results. Over the entire 102 tests the results of the D-Count" complied with the reference method. The evaluation of the results was carried out by the utilisation of t-test, correlation and linear regression. The statistic tests of the individual minced meat categories demonstrated a signifcant correlation between the results of both methods. The coefficients of correlation were close to the optimum 1. Therefore evidence was supplied that the rapid method flow cytometry by using the D-Count" supplies reliable and significant results for the determination of the total viable count in minced meat.