ISOLATION OF SALMONELLA FROM GOAT MEAT SLAUGHTERED AT BACKYARD AND ASSESSMENT OF HYGIENIC HANDLING PRACTICE ALONG ITS SUPPLY CHAIN, IN HARAMAYA TOWN, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Salmonella has been found to be the major cause of foodborne diseases and a serious public health problem with high degree of contamination. To address this issue a cross sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to December 2022 to estimate the prevalence and determine the burden of Salmonella in goat meat slaughtered at backyard and retailer house and identify the problem of hygienic practice in Haramaya town. A total of 336 swab samples were collected from goat meat and environmental sample, and examined for the prevalence of Salmonella by using conventional microbiologic procedure. All samples were exposed to serial dilution to determine salmonella load in goat meat from backyard and retailers house. Moreover, a total of 33 butcher’s house workers having different demography were interviewed on the knowledge, attitude and practice on salmonellosis. Out of total 336 samples examined 69(20.5%) were Salmonella positive. Salmonella was recorded 20.08%, 31.6%, 19.6%, 22.2%, and 15.8% in goat meat swab, cutting board, hand swab sample, knife and hook swab sample respectively. Higher prevalence of salmonella was found in butcher house 30(26.8%) than backyard 15(13.4%) in meat swab sample. Salmonella on different samples show that; 5.76 log10 cfu/ml, 5.83 log10 cfu/ml, 5.78 log10 cfu/ml, 5.81 log10 cfu/ml, 5.66 log10 cfu/ml and 5.52 log10 cfu/ml on meat swab sample from backyard, meat swab from butchers, hand swab sample, cutting board, knife swab and hook swab sample respectively. Higher load of Salmonella was detected in butcher house (5.83 log10 cfu/ml) than backyard (5.76 log10 cfu/ml). Observational assessment of the goat meat handling practices in butcher houses showed that about (60.6%) of them were not washed their hands with soap during working process. The study showed that the hygienic status of backyard and butcher houses in the study area are poor, and the prevalence and the obtained result of salmonella load are high. Based on result, creating the awareness to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella from goat meat with decrease the load of bacteria is recommended and also the responsible body should be coordinate with the butcher houses to stop the backyard slaughtering practice.