Advances in Understanding the Mechanism of Red Meat Spoilage Caused by Bacteria

Bacterial spoilage of red meat is a complex dynamic process involving competition and interaction between different bacterial communities. Deeply understanding the mechanism behind bacterial spoilage of red meat is of great significance for inhibiting the spoilage process, developing preservation measures and prolonging the shelf life of meat products. This review discusses the main sources of and intervention measures for microbial spoilage and contamination in red meat (beef, pork and lamb) during the slaughter and cutting process, and summarizes the dominant spoilage bacteria in red meat under different packaging conditions, with a focus on the mechanism of bacterial spoilage of red meat. It has been found that animal fur and contact surfaces during the segmentation process are the main sources of microbial contamination on the red meat surface. Two or more disinfection techniques can be applied at each step to better reduce the initial microbial contamination level. The dominant bacteria in different red meats under the same packaging conditions are roughly the same with only slight differences. Microorganisms in meat produce off-odors through pyruvate metabolism, while producing signaling molecules that regulate the secretion of proteases and lipases, leading to proteolysis and lipolysis, which in turn results in spoilage phenomena such as getting slimy and softer texture. This review is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the control of bacterial spoilage in red meat.