Aerobic Mesophilic, Coliform, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus Counts of Raw Meat from the Formal and Informal Meat Sectors in South Africa

Abstract

Foodborne disease (FBD) is a global public health concern, and foods from animal sources have been associated with outbreaks of food-related illness. In this study, animal carcasses from the two abattoirs (HT1 and HT2) in the formal meat sector (FMS) and slaughter points in the informal meat sector (INMS) were examined at two stages of slaughter (before washing and after washing) for aerobic colony counts (ACC) and total viable count (TCC), as well as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus count. At each stage, carcasses were sampled by swabbing at the neck, brisket, flank, and rump. ACC for beef, mutton, and pork carcasses at HT1 and HT2 before washing were between 2.5–5.8, 2.2–4.7, and 2.7–3.7 mean log CFU/cm2, respectively, and TCC count before washing was highest on the neck of cattle (6.3 ± 2.4) and after washing was highest on the perineal of sheep (5.7 ± 6.9). In the INMS, TCC count was highest on the brisket (6.9 ± 3.2) and in the neck (5.5 ± 2.4). Higher ACC values of 6.2–6.7 mean log CFU/cm2 were obtained in the INMS. The highest count for E. coli (4.2 mean log CFU/cm2) after washing was in the neck, while the highest count for S. aureus (4.0 mean log CFU/cm2) was in the flank. All bacteria count in the INMS exceeded acceptable limits, and washing did not significantly reduce microbial load in meat in the FMS and INMS. Bacteria count in the FMS and INMS exceeded acceptable standards. However, meat processed in the INMS poses a more significant risk of FBD to consumers.

Antimicrobial Resistance Phenotype of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli Isolates Obtained from Meat in the Formal and Informal Sectors in South Africa

“…Thus, S . aureus asymptomatically lives on the skin and nostrils of humans and animals [ 23 , 35 ]. Cross-contamination from the animal and human skin to the meat during slaughter and processing is inevitable in a situation where the standard hygiene protocol is not strictly implemented.…”

“…Salt tolerance and mannitol fermentation properties of S . aureus produced the typical yellow colonies because of the change in pH [ 35 ]. Further confirmation was done by Gram staining and standard biochemical assays such as catalase, oxidase, and coagulase testing [ 36 ].…”

“…After incubation, colonies with a distinct green metallic sheen on EMB were regarded as E . coli [ 35 ]. All identified presumptive colonies were kept in glycerol stock and then stored at −80°C for further analyses.…”

Microbiological quality of beef, mutton, and water from different abattoirs in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

“…Such risk could further be worsened if the bacteria already have antimicrobial resistance, such as multidrug resistance. Water in prior studies had been linked to increase in bacterial count and could contribute to further spread of contamination of carcasses [ 10 , 38 ]. The result of bacterial counts in meat in the current study closely mirrors those of water; hence, we hypothesize that the water used for carcass washing could be responsible for carcass contamination.…”

“…Microbial testing of meat after slaughter ensures that hygiene breaches are corrected in record time. However, this is seldom done in some provincial abattoir, necessitating the need for this study [ 10 ].…”