Assessment of Microbiological Safety and Quality of Minced Meat and Meat Contact Surfaces in Selected Butcher Shops of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Food-borne pathogens are one of the leading causes of illness and death particularly in developing countries. This study was aimed at analyzing the hygiene indicator microorganisms and pathogens of minced meat and contact surface materials in butcher shops in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Additionally, a checklist was applied to evaluate the hygiene condition of the establishments, and a questionnaire/checklist was used to assess food safety knowledge of the food handlers. This study has indicated that the mean microbial counts (total aerobic mesophilic, staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, aerobic spores and yeasts/molds) of the minced meat and contact surface materials in butcher shops ranged between 2.35 and 6.50 log·cfu/g and between 1.80 and 6.30 log·cfu/cm2, respectively. The mean microbial counts of minced meat samples taken in the morning and afternoon showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05). The prevalence of E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus in minced meat and contact surface samples was exhibited as 43.75 and 29.17%, 6.25 and 4.17%, and 37.50 and 37.50% in that order. The study has indicated that minced meat samples and contact surface materials had higher microbial load with poor personal and work area sanitation. Low knowledge of food handlers in the butcher shops and broken cold chain have also been found as major contributing factors for the contamination of beef.