Work

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Microbiota During Fresh Pork Processing

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Conversion of living muscle tissue into safe, high-quality fresh meat is a complex process. Meat safety and quality are influenced by many factors, including the growth and development of market pigs, their transport to processing facilities, and the subsequent harvesting and carcass chilling processes. Additionally, many processing steps rely on a combination of automation, specialized equipment, and human interaction to produce a quality meat product for consumers. Throughout the fresh pork supply chain, interactions between the animal, carcass, meat, and processing environment shape the composition and diversity of the microbiota associated with meat. Recent advances in genomic tools, such as shotgun metagenomics and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, have provided valuable insights into microbial community dynamics at different stages of processing. This review highlights the spatiotemporal dynamics of the microbiota throughout the fresh pork supply chain, with a particular focus on key processes such as harvest, evisceration, and fabrication of fresh pork.

Source: Meat and Muscle Biology

DOI: 10.22175/mmb.20198

Authors: Aaron Asmus, Keith E. Belk, Noelle Noyes

Institutions: Hormel (United States), Colorado State University, University of Minnesota

Language: English

Topic: Meat and Animal Product Quality

Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,000