Decontamination of Inoculated Beef with Sequential Spraying Treatments

Spray‐washing/rinsing treatments utilizing warm/hot water and/or acetic acid solution were evaluated separately and in sequence for their efficacy in reducing microbial contamination on beef tissue inoculated with Escherichia coli. Treatments reduced the aerobic plate (APC) and E. coli counts of the samples inoculated to have 5.0‐7.4 log CFU/cm 2 (APC) by 1.1 to 4.3 logs. Similarly, most treatments reduced APC and total coliform counts of samples inoculated to have 1.8‐3.7 log CFU/cm 2 (APC) by 0.1 to 1.7 logs. Combinations involving 3 or 4 treatments were more effective in reducing bacterial contamination than single‐ or 2‐treatment combinations.