Katharine Adam

Citation

Thesis Title
Germination of pyschrotolerent clostridia responsible for red meat spoilage

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Psychrotolerant (cold tolerant) clostridia (bacteria) are responsible for spoilage of fresh, chilled, and vacuum-packed red meat (such as beef, lamb, and venison), which is one of New Zealand’s primary exports. Psychrotolerant clostridia are able to form highly resistant spores, and germination of spores is a crucial step in the spoilage process. Ms Adam’s work focused on examining the triggers and conditions under which spores of psychrotolerant clostridia germinate. The study also examined survival of psychrotolerant clostridia on exposure to air. The New Zealand meat processing industry stands to benefit from the discovery that the non-chemical interventions hot water washing and cold water washing reduced the spoilage caused by psychrotolerant clostridia spores.

Supervisors
Professor Steve Flint
Dr Gale Brightwell
Dr Katija Rosenvold