Microbiological quality and safety of dry-aged beef

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 15 Belgian dry-aged beef producing companies to study the microbiological load of loins during production and of the final product (dry-aged beef steaks). In each company, two loins (each in a different stage of the ripening process) were sampled and the temperature and relative humidity of the ripening chamber were measured. A lean meat and adipose tissue sample from the surface of each loin was analysed separately using conventional methods for the enumeration of different groups of bacteria, yeasts and moulds. The microbiological load of dry-aged beef after cutting was evaluated by analysing the surface (crust) and two meat cuts (steaks) from each of 15 loins originating from five dry-aged beef producing companies. The datasets are provided as csv files.