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

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Abattoir processes from skinning, evisceration, to chilling usually lead to meat contamination by foodborne pathogens. Hence, continual microbial surveillance of slaughter carcasses by veterinary public health officials is key to preventing contamination and outbreak of meat-related foodborne diseases. This study was conducted to determine the count and aerobic plate count (APC) and to detect and spp. in meat and water from selected slaughter facilities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective data (n=100) collected in 2017 by the Provincial Veterinary Department of the Eastern Cape Province from abattoirs and prospective survey data of meat (n=50) collected in 2018 from abattoirs in the Eastern Cape Province were utilized in this study. APC and were enumerated from the samples. In addition, and were isolated from samples using selective media.

RESULTS

The APC in both retrospective and prospective studies for all samples ranged between 2 and 4.50 log CFU/cm; similar counts of 2-4.00 log CFU/cm were recorded for . No significant difference (p>0.05) for APC and count across all meat types was noted. and were detected in 50% of beef. was not detected from mutton, but was found in 66.7%. Moreover, 91.7% of the water samples had , but none had .

CONCLUSION

The levels of and APC observed in meat satisfy regulatory conditions outlined by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, South Africa and show that meat produced from these abattoirs is of acceptable microbial quality. However, the quality of water used in the abattoirs does not meet the requirements set by the government, and contributes to contamination of meat produced in the abattoirs under study. Therefore, we recommend that sources of water be continuously investigated to eliminate or reduce the risk of contamination of meat processed in the abattoirs.