4. Conclusion
With the exception of the bacon producing facility, yeasts were
only encountered in relatively low numbers during production of
the pork based processed meat products. The yeast flora present
at the five investigated processing sites was complex with 4–12
different species isolated from the different processing sites at
the particular days of investigation. Yeasts do not seem to posses
a spoilage problem in the products analysed in the present study,
but the ability of several isolates, originating from the investigated
processing sites and products, to grow to numbers where they
might affect the properties of the product under a low oxygen/high
carbon-dioxide atmosphere, underlines that yeast has the potential
to spoil meat products, if the products are not produced under satisfying
hygienic standards or a recontamination occurs.
Acknowledgements
The financial support of The Danish Directory for Food, Fishery
and Agribusiness J. No. 3414-05-01333 and the Danish Meat and
Bacon Council is highly appreciated. The excellent technical assistance
of Søs Nielsen, Gitte Juul Larsen and Gitte Rasmussen is
highly appreciated.