The Incidence and Serotypes of <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> on Beef, Pork and Lamb Carcasses

Abstract

Examination by swabbing a 100 cm 2 area adjacent to the anus demonstrated Clostridium perfringens on 29 of 100 beef, 66 of 100 pork and 85 of 100 lamb carcasses samples before chilling at a commercial abattoir at the end of the slaughter line. Numbers were generally low (20/100 cm 2 ). Serotypes implicated in a high percentage of food poisoning outbreaks in the UK were detected at about the same frequency as others.