Microbiological Quality of Different Fresh Meat Species in Tunisian Slaughterhouses and Markets

This study was undertaken to evaluate the bacterial contamination level of fresh meat from four different (meat samples) animal species, namely bovine, ovine, poultry, and equine (270 carcasses) collected in various Tunisian slaughterhouses and markets. The level of contamination was assessed using the excised skin technique. All meat surface samples were analyzed for total aerobic microflora, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli as an indicator of fecal contamination. Regardless of animal species considered, counts were relatively high for fresh prepared meat. The mean level of contamination for all the meat samples varied from 5.10⁴ to 3.10⁵ CFU/cm² for total aerobic mesophilic microflora, from 2.10² to 2.10³ CFU/cm² for total coliforms, from 4.10¹ to 2.10² for fecal coliforms and from 10¹ to 10² for E. coli . Ovine and poultry carcasses had the highest contamination level. The highest contamination levels were obtained from carcasses prepared in a municipal slaughterhouse and from local markets, where handling and storage conditions were often inappropriate. In this particular case, the total aerobic microflora count reached levels as high as 10⁶ CFU/cm².