Monitoring the bacterial contamination during different stages of beef carcass preparation at Beni-Suef abattoir, Egypt

Abstract

In an attempt to monitor the levels of bacterial contamination during different stages of beef carcass preparation at Beni-Suef abattoir, Egypt, 20 beef carcasses were examined. Each carcass was represented by swabs from the abdomen, neck, shoulder, thigh and thorax, collected after dehiding, after evisceration and after complete preparation. Each swab was examined for the total mesophilic, psychrophilic and staphylococcal counts, MPN of coliforms, fecal coliforms and E. coli. The mesophilic counts in the examined swabs of abdomen, neck, shoulder, thigh and thorax after dehiding were 3×10 6 , 3×10 6 , 5×10 6 , 7×10 5 , 3×10 6 , while after evisceration, they changed to 2×10 7 , 5×10 6, 4×10 6 , 5×10 5 , 2×10 6 CFU/cm 2 , respectively. Moreover, they accounted for 5×10 5 , 5×10 6 , 7×10 6 , 2×10 5 , 5×10 6 CFU/cm 2 after preparation, respectively. The staphylococcal counts in the examined swabs were 7×10 2 , 7×10 2 , 8×10 2 , 7×10 2 , 8×10 2 after dehiding, 6×10 2 , 9×10 2 , 6×10 2 , 6×10 2 , 4×10 2 CFU/cm 2 after evisceration, respectively. While, they were 4×10 2 , 9×10 2 , 10×10 2 , 6×10 2 , 3×10 2 CFU/cm 2 after preparation, respectively. As regard to coliforms (MPN) in the examined swabs after dehiding, they were 2×10, 4×10 2 , 2×10 2 , 4×10 2 , 2×10 2 , while 9, 3×10 2 , 1×10 2 , 3×10 2 , 1×10 2 after evisceration, and <3, 3×10 2 , 8×10, 2×10, 3×10 m.os./cm 2 after preparation, respectively. The sources of contamination with the determined bacteria were discussed throughout the study.