Prevalence of pathogenic microorganisms in raw meat products from retail outlets in Alexandria Province

Abstract

Contamination of raw meat products is very common and the presence of enteric pathogens in meat products will render the meat unsafe to the consumer as they are encountered in causing food poisoning and also they reflect the hygienic standard of the vendors' shop. In the current study, a total of 100 random samples of raw meat products including; minced meat, sausage, pasterma and beef burger (25 samples of each) were collected from different super markets at Alexandria province. The collected samples were examined bacteriologically for detection of some pathogenic bacteria. The obtained results revealed that the incidence of Enteropathogenic E. coli in the examined samples of minced meat, sausage, and pasterma and beef burger was 44, 40, 32and 36%, respectively. The incidence of Salmonella in the examined samples of minced meat, sausage, and pasterma and beef burger was 8, 12, 4 and 8%, respectively. Serotyping of Salmonella revealed the detection of S. Enteritidis, S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi. The incidence of Shigella in the examined samples of minced meat, sausage, and pasterma and beef burger was 20, 24, 12and 24%, respectively. The incidence of Y. enterocolitica in the examined samples of minced meat, sausage, and pasterma and beef burger was 16, 20, 8 and 24%, respectively. The hygienic significance as well as public health hazard of each isolated microorganism, as well as the recommended measures to lower these microorganisms in meat products and improve the quality of meat products was discussed.