The bacteriological quality of minced beef in the U.K

SUMMARYMinced (ground) beef from three supermarkets, three intermediate-sized chain butchers and three small family butchers in each of three geographical areas was examined three times in warm weather and three times in cool. The total viable count (37 and 20°C), numbers of Enterobacteriaceae (37 and 17°C), and presumptive coliforms did not differ significantly between shop type or season. Statistically significant differences in numbers of faecal Streptococci,Staphylococcus aureusandClostridium perfringenswere too small to be of commercial importance, or diagnostic value.