Patties made with ground beef are very common products on
retail stores due to their ease of use and versatility. Ground meat is
more perishable than whole or sliced meat because the cut and the
grinding process expose the deep sterile tissues to atmospheric
oxygen, and the nutrients are spread out from cells, so they are
available for microorganisms. Furthermore, the higher exposed
surface enhances the oxidative and degradative reactions. For
these reasons, ground meat is generally classified as one of the
most hygienically risky foods because it could be a good habitat for
food-poisoning microorganisms dangerous for humans (e.g.,
Listeria monocytogenes) (Kotula & Kotula, 2000; Noriega, Laca, &
Diaz, 2010).