BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND SAFETY OF FRESH MEAT FROM SOME BUTCHER HOUSES OF FERESBET TOWN, AMHARA REGIONAL STATE, NORTHERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Meat is an essential food for human beings and it also acts as an ideal medium for the growth of microorganisms. As a result, it is highly sensitive to spoilage and to harbor Pathogens. The objective of this research was to assess the bacteriological quality and safety of fresh meat sold in some butcher shops of Feresbet town of Amhara Regional State, Northern Ethiopia. A total of 30 meat samples were collected in three rounds from ten butcher shops. Enumeration of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliform, S.aureus and isolation of Salmonella spp was done according to standard procedures. Salmonella spp was isolated using enrichment media and then by standard bacteriological methods. The mean counts of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliform and S. aureus were 4.53, 3.97 and 3.88log 10cfu/g, respectively. Salmonella spp was isolated from 21(70%) of the samples. The presence of high bacteria count and high rate of Salmonella spp isolated in this study revealed is the presence of a serious problem on the quality and safety of fresh meat in butcher shops of Feresbet town of Amhara Regional state, Northern Ethiopia. Salmonella spp isolates were highly susceptible to the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, gentamcin and nofloxacin while they were resistant to erythromycin and tetracycline. Generally, the presence of Salmonella in meat suggests potential risk to fresh meat consumers in the town. Moreover, the higher bacterial load in this study indicates the unhygienic and improper handling practices of butchers and unclean meat selling environment in Feresbet town.