Street Vended Meat Products as Potential Sources of Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

A total of 90 random samples of street vended meat products represented by beef burger, kofta and sausage (30 of each) were collected from several street vendors in Menofyia government. for isolation and identification of S. aureus as well as detection of Staphylococcal enterotoxins. The obtained results indicated that the mean values of Staphylococci count (cfu/g) in the examined samples were 4.27×103 ± 0.69×103 for beef burger, 9.15×103 ± 2.01×103for kofta and 1.62×104 ± 0.37×104 for sausage. The results obtained indicated that 16 (53.33%) samples of beef burger,19 (63.33%) samples of kofta and 21(70%) samples of sausage were unaccepted according to their Staphylococci counts/g according to Egyptian Organization for Standardization EOS (2005). The incidence of S. aureus in the examined samples of sausage was 53.33% followed by kofta samples (40%). While, the lowest incidence of S.aureus was recorded in the examined beef burger samples(30%). The study obtained one enterotoxin A, enterotoxin C and enterotoxin A+D produced by S. aureus in the sausage samples of meat product. While, enterotoxins B and enterotoxin D failed to be detected in sausage samples of meat product. concerningkofta samples, 2 enterotoxin D produced by S. aureus. While, enterotoxins A, B and C were not detected in kofta and beef burger samples. Finally, the probable sources of contamination of meat products with such serous pathogen and some recommendation to control its enterotoxins production were discussed.