Given the potential public health risks associated with a burgeoning goat meat industry in Tanzania, we estimated the load of Escherichia coli and the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains for goat meat by using a cross-sectional study design (June to July 2015). Five large (n = 60 samples) and five small (n = 64 samples) slaughterhouses were sampled over a period of four to six visits each. Meat rinsate was prepared and plated onto MacConkey agar, and presumptive E. coli colonies were enumerated and reported as CFU per milliliter of rinsate. In total, 2,736 presumptive E. coli isolates were tested for antibiotic drug sensitivity by using breakpoint assays against 11 medically important antibiotics. E. coli was recovered from almost all the samples (96.8%), with counts ranging from 2 to 4 log CFU ml, and there was no significant difference (P = 0.43) in recovery according to facility size (average, 3.37 versus 3.13 log CFU ml, large and small, respectively). Samples from large facilities had relatively higher prevalence (P = 0.026) of antibiotic-resistant E. coli compared with small facilities. This was mostly explained by more ampicillin (30.1 versus 12.8%) and amoxicillin (17.6 versus 4.5%) resistance for large versus small facilities, respectively, and more tetracycline resistance for small facilities (5.6 versus 10.6%, respectively). Large slaughter operations may serve as foci for dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria via food products. More effective hygiene practices during slaughter and meat handling would limit the probability of transmitting antibiotic-resistant E. coli in goat meat.

The present study was undertaken to assess the inhibitory potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditionally processed corn-beer and palm-wine on Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated on MRS agar using pour plate method. The catalase negative and Gram positive isolates were selected as presumptive lactic acid bacteria and were biochemically characterized using the API 50 CHL BioMerieux kit to identify them at species level. The LAB isolates were then assessed for antimicrobial activity potentials against food-borne pathogens. Thirteen LAB isolates which constituted nine different species namely: Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc carnosum, Pedioccocus acidilactici and Lactobacillus pentosus were isolated from these two beverages. The entire LAB isolates demonstrated great potentials to inhibit the test pathogens. P. acidilactici from corn-beer exhibited the overall highest inhibitory activity with zones of inhibition of 19, 20 and 16 mm on E. coli, S. typhi and S. aureus, respectively; while the isolate from palm-wine, L. pentosus exerted the highest antimicrobial action on the test pathogens. It was observed that most of the LAB isolates inhibited the indicator pathogens mainly by bacteriocin production. S. typhi was the most susceptible food-borne bacterial pathogen to the inhibitory activity of the LAB isolates, followed by E. coli.

Meat products are clearly associated with foodborne pathogens including, antibiotic-resistant strains. Population growth and growing consumer demand facilitate the transmission of foodborne pathogens, particularly in developing countries. To determine the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella in goat meat, a study was done in Tanzania (June to July, 2015). Overall 120 goat meat samples were collected from five large and five small slaughter facilities (n = 60, respectively). Pre-enrichment for Salmonella isolation was done in Tryptic Soy Broth followed by selective enrichment in Modified Semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis agar. Isolation of Salmonella was done in xylose-Lysine-Deoxycholate agar followed by biochemical confirmation in triple sugar iron agar. The average prevalence of Salmonella was 60 and 63% in large and small facilities, respectively. Breakpoint assays indicated an overall low prevalence of resistance (2 to 4%; n = 219 isolates) to ampicillin, amoxicillin, streptomycin, sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim with complete susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime and cefotaxime. No significant difference (p > 0.05) in the prevalence of resistance between large and small facilities was observed. High probability of Salmonella contamination of goat meat from Arusha area of Tanzania can pose risks to consumers. Antibiotic resistance appears minimal in this population. Improved hygienic slaughter and meat-handling practices are encouraged to reduce the burden of Salmonella-positive meat products.