‐ Institut für Tierwissenschaften ‐ Predictive shelf life model for the improvement of quality management in meat chains Inaugural‐Dissertation zur Erlangung des Grades Doktor der Ernährungs‐ und Haushaltwissenschaften (Dr.oec.troph.) der Hohen Landwirtschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich‐Wilhelms‐Universität zu Bonn vorgelegt am 06.07.2010 von Stefanie Bruckner aus Leer Referent: Prof. Dr. Brigitte Petersen 1. Korreferent: Prof. Dr. Rainer Stamminger 2. PD Dr. Judith Kreyenschmidt Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 27. August 2010 Erscheinungsjahr: 2010 Meinen Eltern Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful. George E.P. Box (British statistician, born 1919) Abstract Predictive shelf life model for the improvement of quality management in meat chains The objective of this thesis was the development of a common predictive shelf life model for fresh pork and fresh poultry based on the growth of Pseudomonas sp. as specific spoilage organism (SSO). As an element of a decision support system the model should provide predictive information to improve quality management in meat chains.