The antibacterial and competitive nature of the molds Thamnidium elegans , Mucor mucedo and Chaetostylum fresenii , commonly isolated from beef aging at refrigeration temperature for extended periods, were examined to determine if their presence on meat would inhibit bacterial growth. An agar plate method revealed no growth inhibition of six strains of meat spoilage bacteria by the molds examined. Eye round (semitendinosus) roasts were inoculated with spore suspensions containing nine strains of the three fungal species and incubated for 48 h at 4 or 18°C. Initial aerobic bacterial counts (35°C) on the meat samples were 2.4 × 104 CFU/cm2. Mold treatment had no significant effect (P>0.05) on reduction of aerobic bacterial counts (35 and 7°C), coliforms or fecal streptococci when compared with uninoculated controls. No surface fungal growth was evident after 48 h at 4°C, the normal storage temperature for meat, whereas appreciable mycelial development was apparent after 48 h at 18°C. T. elegans , M. mucedo and C. fresenii were not capable of reducing or controlling bacterial growth on meat surfaces at refrigeration or elevated temperatures.