Bacteriological quality of raw meat displayed for sale at Sokoto, Sokoto state, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the bacteriological quality of raw meat on sale at the Sokoto Fish and Meat market. 120 samples each of meat and 1cm 2 table top surface swab were collected and analyzed microbiologically for total viable count (TAC) and total coliform (TCC). The mean viable count for meat samples was 4.52x10 6 cfu/cm 2 and the mean coliform count was 2.34x10 6 cfu/cm 2 . The mean viable count for meat table surface was 4.21x10 6 cfu/cm 2 , while the mean coliform was 2.17 x10 6 cfu/cm 2 . A total of 10 different bacterial isolates from both the raw meat and table top swabs were obtained, these isolates include Escherichia coli [49(25.3%)] and [21(19.0%)] which was the most predominant, followed by Enterobacter spp [31(16.0%)] and [15(13.5%)], Bacillus spp [27(14.0%)] and [24(21.6%)], Staphylococcus aureus [26(13.4%)] and [29(26.1%)], Salmonella spp [16(8.2%)] and [6(5.4%)], Klebsiella spp [13(6.7%)] and [0(0.0%)], Proteus vulgaris [12(6.2%)] and [6(5.4%)], Shigella spp [9(4.6%)] and [3(2.7%)], Streptococcus spp [8(4.1%)] and [7(6.3%)], Citrobacter spp [3(1.5%)] and [0(0.0%)] which was less predominant. This study reveals that raw meat displayed for sale at the open market are often contaminated with bacteria. The presence of higher number of pathogenic Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp, Bacillus spp , and Salmonella among others, encountered in raw meat from conventional beef is alarming. The presence of these organisms in meat foods and table surface should receive particular attention, because their presence indicate public health hazard and give warning signal for the possible occurrence of food borne intoxication.