Abstract:
The present study was conducted at the Chiro town slaughterhouse from January 2022 to July
2022 to identify the prevalence of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and to
assess the beef carcass handling practice within the slaughtering house. A cross-sectional
study design was conducted where a systematic random sampling technique was used to
collect samples from the municipal slaughterhouse. Semi-structured questionnaires and
checklists were also used to assess the beef carcass hygienic handling practices at
slaughterhouse. A total of 263 samples (66 carcass swab samples, 66 eviscerator hand swab, 66 knife swab and 65 water sample respectively) were collected during the study period. Out
of the total of 263 dif erent samples examined, 23 (8.7%) were found to be contaminated with
Salmonella. Out of 23 Salmonella positive sample, 7(10.6%) from carcass swab, 5(7.6%) from
evisceration hand swab, 5(7.6%) from knife swab and 6(9.2%) from water sample were
observed. Out of the total of 263 dif erent samples examined, 77 (29.2%) were found to be
contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus. The prevalence varied between sample sources and
carcass swab was found to have the highest prevalence 27(40.9%) followed by the 19(28.8%)
knife swab, 18(27.7%) eviscerator hand swab and 13(20%) water sample. There was
statistically significant dif erence between Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella in dif erent
sample source (p<0.05). According to 37 respondents on their sociodemographic
characteristics, most of them had not get training on food safety and hygiene and job-related
medical tests to work in the slaughterhouse and (40.5%) cause of carcass contamination was
faces. Among 45 checklist data for observational assessment of the beef carcasses handling
practices in slaughtering house, (84.4%) of them were not washed their hands with soap or
with other detergent material during working process, while (91.1%) of them had not wash
carcass and (64.4%) of hygienic condition of the knife and axe were good. The study showed
that the hygienic status of the slaughterhouse in the study area is poor, and the obtained
prevalence of thus two bacteria are higher than the acceptable limit of the standard. therefore, the necessary strategies towards hygiene and sanitation of meat in the slaughterhouse should
be implemente
