Blown pack spoilage is mainly caused by psychrophilic/psychrotolerant clostridia.
Blown pack spoilage of vacuum-packed meat is mainly caused by Clostridium estertheticum.
Cultivation and molecular methods used to detect clostridia are appraised.
Factors concurring for occurrence of blown pack spoilage are detailed.
Mitigation strategies with potential to control blown pack spoilage are evaluated.