Abstract
The demand for ready-to-eat (RTE) foods is handy to busy urban dwellers. Handling, processing, and selling are known to contaminate these foods and cause foodborne outbreaks. This study assessed a load of S. aureus and E. coli in khebabs (beef, chevon, and gizzard) sold on the KNUST campus and its environs and how resistant they are to clinically relevant antimicrobial agents. Thirty-six (36) khebab samples were purchased from vendors at Kotei, Ayeduase, Kentinkrono, Boadi, KNUST campus, and Ayigya. They were analyzed for S. aureus and E. coli and their resistance to clinically relevant antimicrobial agents checked using standard methods. S. aureus and E. coli load ranged from 4.09 to 5.96 CFU/g and 1.79 to 6.12 MPN/g in beef, 4.02 to 6.01 CFU/g and 1.99 to 4.44 MPN/g in chevon, and 5.37 to 6.18 CFU/g and 1.79 to 6.10 MPN/g in gizzard khebabs in the different locations. E. coli (n = 27) were multiresistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, gentamicin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, and cotrimoxazole (51.85%) and susceptible to chloramphenicol (100%). S. aureus (n = 36) isolates were multiresistant to penicillin, tetracycline, flucloxacillin, cefuroxime, ampicillin (97.22%), erythromycin (75%), cotrimoxazole (86.11%), and gentamicin (69.44%). It can therefore be concluded that the majority of khebabs from the KNUST campus and its environs were contaminated with S. aureus and E. coli above the acceptable standard limits (≤4 log10 CFU/g and ˂2 log10MPN/g, respectively). Also, the S. aureus and E. coli isolated were multiresistant to the antibiotics tested and could be a medium for the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and therefore expose consumers to a high risk of contracting foodborne infections with drug-resistant strains.
Highlights
Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods have been defined as foods that do not require further preparation with exception of reheating [1]. ese RTE foods are usually consumed raw or cooked, or hot or cold without further heat treatment [2, 3]
Microbiological Quality. e mean E. coli count in the beef, chevon, and gizzard khebab samples from the various locations ranged from 1.79 to 6.12 log10 MPN/g, 1.99 to 4.44 log10 MPN/g, and 1.79 to 6.10 log10 MPN/g, respectively. e mean E. coli count for the khebab samples in the locations was above the standard acceptable limit, except Boadi, which was within the acceptable limit. e high count of E. coli in the khebab samples suggests a possible faecal contamination. is may be due to poor hygienic practices of the vendors
Majority of street food vendors are uneducated and lack the knowledge in safe food preparation and handling. They rarely adhere to hygienic practices and this might have accounted the high level of E. coli count in the khebab samples
Summary
Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods have been defined as foods that do not require further preparation with exception of reheating [1]. ese RTE foods are usually consumed raw or cooked, or hot or cold without further heat treatment [2, 3]. E khebab may contain high protein or carbohydrate, high moisture content, or low acidity, which provides a suitable medium for the rapid growth of microorganism, making it potentially hazardous food. Because it provides a medium for rapid microorganism’s growth, microbial pathogens or toxins can affect consumer’s health and may even lead to death when they are contaminated [4]. S. aureus is a major foodborne pathogen in ready-to-eat foods responsible for foodborne infections across the globe [12, 13].
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