Microbiological Investigation of Ready-to-cook Pork Bulgogi on Korean Markets

In this study, ready-to-cook (RTC) pork bulgogi was investigated microbiologically to determine contamination levels. The investigation was conducted because of an increasing trend in the consumption of RTC meat products in Korea. Ninety marinated RTC pork bulgogi samples were collected from major retail outlets (M), department stores (D), and local markets (L) in Seoul, Korea from March to June 2011. This study examined total plate counts (TPC), Escherichia coli, and coliform bacterial counts, and the presence of Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and E. coli O157:H7. The mean TPC values were 5.89, 6.08, and 5.89 Log CFU/g for M, D, and L, respectively. E. coli was not detected in any sample, but coliforms were present in 72 (80%) of the 90 samples collected. B. cereus, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella spp. were not detected; however, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes were detected in five (5.5%) and one (1.1%) of the 90 samples. Samples collected from M and D were contaminated with S. aureus and those from L with L. monocytogenes. These results demonstrate that the conditions under which RTC pork bulgogis are handled and processed are unsanitary.