Evaluation of microbiological quality of cooked meat products during their shelf life

The aim of this work was to analyze the microbiological quality of cooked meat products (ham salami and Spiš sausages) over their storage period. The analyses were focused on the determination of total viable counts of microorganisms, Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms. The results showed that the maximum growth of microorganisms occurred on storage day 21 (ham salami) and day 5 (Spiš sausages) at temperatures from 2 to 6 °C after the packages have been open. Storing meat products at refrigerated temperatures is safe as long as all the requirements of the manufacturer are observed.