A survey of the microbiological quality of feral pig carcasses processed for human consumption in Queensland, Australia.

An investigation of the microbiological quality of 217 feral pig carcasses at a Queensland wild game processing plant was carried out using the excision method of sampling. Samples were analyzed for aerobic plate count (APC), E. coli, and Salmonella over a period of 2 years. The mean adjusted APC was 4.7 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g, and counts at the 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles were 4.8, 5.2, and 6.1 log CFU/g, respectively. The maximum number of bacteria recovered was 6.4 log CFU/g, and the limit of detection was 2.0 log CFU/g. E. coli was detected in 19.4% of samples, for which the adjusted mean was 1.9 log CFU/g, and counts at the 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles were 1.4, 2.0, and 3.0 log CFU/g, respectively. Salmonella was detected in 1.38% of samples. There was no significant relationship (p > 0.05) between season and APCs, E. coli counts, or Salmonella prevalence. Hygienic processing of feral pig carcasses was indicated by levels of APC and E. coli well within the required Australian bacteriological standards for game meat. The microbiological quality of feral pig carcasses, is similar to excision-based studies of kangaroo and beef carcasses.