Microbial evaluation of Spanish potato omelette and cooked meat samples in University restaurants

The focus of this study was to evaluate the microbial quality of Spanish potato omelette and cooked meat samples including pork loin, chicken croquettes, long pork sausage, chicken breast, and meatballs from University restaurants. Microbiological analyses of Spanish potato omelette and cooked meat samples resulted in aerobic plate counts from <1.00 to 2.90 and from <1.00 to 6.04 log10 CFU g(-1), respectively. Total coliforms ranged from <3 to 43 most probable number (MPN) g(-1) and from <3 to >2,400 MPN g(-1) for Spanish potato omelette and meat products, respectively. Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and Lancefield group-D streptococci were detected in 1.7%, 3.5%, and 12.9% of Spanish potato omelette samples, respectively. For cooked meat samples, 8.8%, 7.6%, and 24.6% contained E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and Lancefield group-D streptococci, respectively. E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp. were not detected. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, and Serratia spp. were isolated from Spanish potato omelette samples. For cooked meat samples, C. freundii, E. cloacae, and Aeromonas hydrophila were detected. The results suggest that some handling practices should require more attention, and as a consequence, a hazard analysis and critical control point program should be developed and implemented.