Post‐packaging Pasteurization Reduces CIostridiur perfringens and Other Bacteria in Precooked Vacuum‐packaged Beef Loin Chunks

Precooked beef loin chunks were vacuum packaged after inoculation with Clostridium perfringens vegetative cells or spores. The control group was uninoculated. Chunks were either nonpasteurized or pasteurized, and stored at 4°C for up to 85 days. Pasteurization reduced populations of vegetative cells (VC) and vegetative cells from spores (VCS) of C. perfringens on beef chunks throughout 85 days of refrigerated storage. Without pasteurization, constant populations of VC and VCS were maintained for 28 and 65 days, respectively. Indige‐nous microflora populations of nonpasteurized beef chunks increased for up to 28 days and remained high thereafter. Pasteurization prevented the microflora from exceeding populations of 200 log₁₀/cm² (surface) or mL (broth) for 85 days of storage. Pasteurization increased the shelf‐life of precooked beef loin chunks.