A Review on Contamination and Spoilage Mechanisms in Meat and Fish Products Implications for Food Safety

  • Unique Paper ID: 172238
  • PageNo: 2666-2672
  • Abstract:
  • The contamination and spoilage of meat and fish present significant food safety challenges. This review examines the microbial mechanisms behind spoilage, highlighting key pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Vibrio, which pose risks at various stages of the supply chain, including slaughter, processing, and storage. Spoilage is driven by microbial activity, leading to sensory changes such as off-flavors, discoloration, and texture loss. Environmental factors like temperature, moisture, and handling practices influence microbial growth, with refrigeration, hygiene, and packaging technologies playing critical roles in mitigating spoilage. The review also discusses food safety regulations, preventive measures, and the need for ongoing research into new technologies to improve the safety, shelf life, and quality of meat and fish products. Addressing these challenges is key to reducing foodborne illness and waste.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{172238,
        author = {MOHANA PRIYA R and GOWSALYA M and ASMITHA G and ARTHI P},
        title = {A Review on Contamination and Spoilage Mechanisms in Meat and Fish Products Implications for Food Safety},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {11},
        number = {8},
        pages = {2666-2672},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=172238},
        abstract = {The contamination and spoilage of meat and fish present significant food safety challenges. This review examines the microbial mechanisms behind spoilage, highlighting key pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Vibrio, which pose risks at various stages of the supply chain, including slaughter, processing, and storage. Spoilage is driven by microbial activity, leading to sensory changes such as off-flavors, discoloration, and texture loss. Environmental factors like temperature, moisture, and handling practices influence microbial growth, with refrigeration, hygiene, and packaging technologies playing critical roles in mitigating spoilage. The review also discusses food safety regulations, preventive measures, and the need for ongoing research into new technologies to improve the safety, shelf life, and quality of meat and fish products. Addressing these challenges is key to reducing foodborne illness and waste.},
        keywords = {Spoilage mechanism, pathogens, Meat and Fish Products, Food borne illnesses},
        month = {January},
        }

Cite This Article

R, M. P., & M, G., & G, A., & P, A. (2025). A Review on Contamination and Spoilage Mechanisms in Meat and Fish Products Implications for Food Safety. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 11(8), 2666–2672.

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