Microbiological survey of prepackaged pâté and ham in New Zealand

Aims: To gauge the effectiveness of pâté and ham manufacturers’ management of the microbial safety and quality of their products. Methods and Results: A survey of 60 batches of prepackaged pâté showed that 41·7% of the batches had aerobic plate counts (APC) exceeding 105 CFU g−1, one of pâté sample contained a Bacillus cereus count of >5000 CFU g−1 and another contained 1700 CFU g−1 of Listeria monocytogenes. No other pathogens were isolated from any of the samples. The survey of prepackaged ham showed that only 1% (1/104) of the ham samples were positive for L. monocytogenes (50 CFU g−1). Conclusions: The presence of microbial hazards in these foods has generally declined since the early 1990s in New Zealand. Noncomplying APC levels may be due to an over‐estimation of product shelf life or poor food handling practices during manufacture. Significance and Impact of the Study: Few of the samples tested contained pathogens at significant levels. The prevalences of L. monocytogenes in pâté and ham were low. The presence of 1700 CFU g−1 of L. monocytogenes in a pâté sample indicates that occasionally, the population can be exposed to levels of L. monocytogenes above the zero tolerance level set in New Zealand.