Contamination of Ready to Eat Vended Food of Meat Origin with Aerobic Bacteria in Khartoum State

Abstract

This study was carried out to isolate and identify Gram- positive and Gram-negative bacteria which contaminate food of meat origin. Ninety samples of cooked, ready-to-eat Sandwiches (Beef-Burger, Shawarma, Kebab and Agashi) collected from different street food venders, samples were cultured on MacConkey‘s, nutrient and blood agar. Isolates, were purified and identified to species level according to their morphological and biochemical properties. A total of 76 isolates were obtained,50 of them were Gram-negative bacteria which identified: Klebsiella pneumoniae (22%), followed by Enterobacter spp (15%),Serratia marcescens(11%),Hafnia alvei (7%),Campylobacter spp(2%), Citrobacter freundii (2%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris (1%). 26 isolates were Gram-positive bacteria which identified:Staphylococcus spp (11%), Bacillus cereus(6%), Listeria monocytogenes (3%), Bacillus mycoides(2%), Brochothrix spp(2%), Kurthia gibsonii (2%), Enterococcus spp (2%) and Micrococcus spp(1%). The study revealed that foods of meat origin are often contaminated with bacteria. The presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Campylobacter spp, Staphylococcus spp, Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogeneswas of medical significance. The presence of these Organisms in meat foods should receive particular attention, because their presence indicate public Health hazard and gives a warning signal for the possible occurrence offood borne diseases