Detection of Some Enteric Pathogens in Retailed Meat

Contamination of meat at the retail level is very common. The presence of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae on the meat surface 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 butchers shops. The current study was done to evaluate the microbiological status of retailed meat of cattle and buffaloes with special concern to Escherichia coli and Salmonella. A total of 100 random samples of meat of cattle and buffaloes (50 of each) were collected from different butchers shops at Behera province. The samples were evaluated bacteriologically with a trial to isolate some enteric pathogens of public health significance. The obtained results revealed that the mean values of total Enterobacteriaceae count in examined meat samples of cattle and buffaloes were 1.4 X 10^4±1.4 X 10^3 and 2.7 X 10^4± 3.3 X 10^3 cfu/g, respectively. Also, the mean values of total Coliforms count in cattle and buffaloes meat samples were 1.0 X 10^4±1.4 X 10^3, 1.8 X10^4± 1.8 X 10^3 cfu/g, respectively. In addition, isolation and identification of enteric bacteria revealed that the isolation of E. coli, Salmonella species, Enterobacter aerogenes, E. intermedium, E. gergoviae, Citrobacter amalonaticus, C. diversus, C. freundii, Serratia marcescens, S. ficaria, S. fonticola, S. liquefaciens. S. rubidaea, Edwardsiclla ictalori, E. hoshinae, Providencia alcalifaciens, P. stuartii, Klebsiella pneumonia subspecies ozaenae, and Proteus mirabilis. Concerning E. coli, it was detected in 32% and 40% of the examined meat samples of cattle and buffaloes, respectively. Furthermore, the serological identification of the obtained isolates of E. coli revealed the presence of the following serotypes O55: K59, O111:K58, O114:K96, O111:K69, O125:K70, O126:K71, O127:K63. On the other side, the obtained results revealed the isolation of Salmonella species at the percentage of 4 and 8 in the examined meat samples of cattle and buffaloes, respectively. Furthermore, the serological identification of the obtained isolates of Salmonella revealed the presence of S. Typhi, S. Enteritidis and S. Paratyphi. Basedon the obtained results, it was observed that meat of buffaloes was more contaminated with all members of Enterobacteriaceae than meat of cattle so strict hygienic measures should be considered during slaughtering, transportation and handling of meat till reach safe for consumers.