Molecular Characterization of Bacteria, Detection of Enterotoxin Genes, and Screening of Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns in Traditionally Processed Meat Products of Sikkim, India.

The lesser-known traditionally processed meat products such as beef , pork , , and are popular food items in the Himalayan state of Sikkim in India. The present study aimed to assess the microbiological safety of traditional meat products by identifying the potential spoilage or pathogenic bacteria, detecting the enterotoxins, and screening the antibiotic susceptibility patterns. The pH and moisture contents of the meat products varied from 5.3 to 5.9 and from 1.5 to 18%, respectively. The microbial loads of aerobic bacteria were 10 to 10 cfu/g, 10 to 10 cfu/g, 10 to 10 cfu/g, and total coliform 10 to 10 cfu/g, respectively. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the bacterial species isolated from traditionally processed meat products were , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests detected spp. and enterotoxins produced by well as in a few tested samples. However, the PCR method did not detect the virulence genes of and in the isolates. Virulence gene () was detected in BSLST44 and BULST54 isolated from beef and in PSST53 isolated from pork . No enterotoxins were detected in samples. The antibiotic sensitivity test showed that all bacterial strains were susceptible toward gentamicin, cotrimoxazole, norfloxacin, and trimethoprim. Gram-positive bacteria showed 100% sensitivity against clindamycin and erythromycin; however, 50% of the resistance pattern was observed against oxacillin followed by penicillin (33%) and ampicillin (27%).