Assessment of hygienic and nutritive quality of retailed minced meat in Egypt

The study was conducted on ninety fresh, chilled and frozen minced meat to determine their bacterial and nutritional quality and to be screened for meat-borne pathogens in the Menofiya governorate. Statistically, the findings of Aerobic mesophilic, coliform, Staphylococci, and Staphylococcus aureus counts were not significantly different (P >0.05) between the three meat types. Compared to the Egyptian organization standards (EOS), 82.2 % of minced meat had unacceptable Aerobic mesophilic counts, while 79% showed higher levels of S. aureus. In addition, the highest loads of Psychrotrophic counts (5.62 log cfu / g), Coliform counts (3.98 log cfu/g) and Mold and Yeast counts (4.99 log cfu /g) were found, correspondingly, in frozen, chilled and fresh minced meat. The overall incidence of Salmonella sp. out of the three meat types, was 27.8 %. Salmonellae was also isolated from fresh (33.3%), chilled (26.7%) and frozen (23.3%) minced meat. Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium were the major isolated strains. Regarding protein content, 73.3%, 80% and 66.7% of fresh, chilled and frozen minced meat were approved comparable to EOS, while all samples were accepted for fat content. In conclusion, the results of the current study indicate that the three minced meat types sold in the Menofiya governorate were not adequately hygienic. The Egyptian food hygiene authorities shall therefore consider the implementation of a pathogen-specific control system, beginning with primary production units, and strictly track compliance with hygiene measures during the preparation, processing and exhibiting of raw meat to obtain safe food.