Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine how P. aeruginosa grew in beef and macerated meats at varying incubation temperatures and sodium chloride concentrations. Meat samples treated with 2%, 5%, 7%, and 10% sodium chloride were artificially contaminated using an inoculum containing 2.03 x 10⁸ CFU/mL. Following 3 and 7 days of incubation at 7°C, 21°C, 37°C, and 45°C, growth was measured. Meat and Macerated meats only showed significant bacterial growth when exposed to 2% sodium chloride; in the Macerated samples, 5% sodium chloride showed very little bacterial growth. At salt concentrations of 7%, 10%, or more, no growth was seen, suggesting that high sodium chloride concentrations effectively inhibit P. aeruginosa.. With maximum growth at 37°C and restricted growth at 7°C and 21°C during early incubation, followed by total suppression after 7 days, temperature was found to have a substantial impact on bacterial survival. At 45°C, no bacterial growth was found. Higher bacterial counts were consistently found in Macerated meats, most likely as a result of increased surface area and nutrient exposure. These findings demonstrate that P. aeruginosa is sensitive to temperature and salt content, with higher tolerance seen in low-salt and moderate-temperature environments. The results highlight how crucial it is to regulate salt and temperature in order to lower the possibility of P. aeruginosa contaminating meat products