Philippine E-Journals

Microbial Modeling and Monte Carlo Simulation to Determine Microbial Performance Criteria on Wooden Cutting Boards

Roramie V. Arco | Ricky B. Villeta | Marisa A. Mahilum

Discipline: Health

 

Abstract:

This study used simulation modeling to evaluate the microbial performance over time for four types of meat and the effect on the frequency of changing cutting boards. The results revealed that pork chopping boards can be used up to time t = 9 minutes, that is, with the corresponding bacterial counts of 19 CFU/4cm2. Beef chopping boards can be changed or clean beyond the time t = 7 minutes since the bacterial growth already exceeds the standard sanitary requirement of using wooden cutting boards. On the other hand, chicken cutting boards can be used only for up to t=10 minutes out of a 20 – minute period of chopping chicken meat to meet the sanitary guidelines. Wooden cutting boards used to chop fish meat can be used for a maximum of t= 9 minutes to meet the acceptable sanitary requirement. These findings suggest that wet market meat vendors can be constrained to the allowable time in minutes of using the wooden cutting boards in order to meet the sanitary guidelines that guarantee safe meat cutting boards utilized in most wet market settings.