Bacteriological Assessment of Chicken Meat, Chicken Meat Products and Its Impact of Human Enteric Infections in Taif Governorate

From different shops and supermarkets at Taif governorate in KSA; a total number of 105 samples were collected. They were 35 samples from raw chicken meat, 35 samples from frozen chicken meat burger and 35 samples from chicken meat luncheon. The samples were examined for their organoleptic and bacteriological quality; the results revealed that, 8.6% and 2.9% of the examined raw chicken meat and frozen chicken burger were unaccepted while all examined samples of chicken-luncheon were accepted.

The bacteriological examination revealed that, the bacterial counts in frozen chicken burger samples were higher than that detected in raw chicken meat and chicken luncheon samples whereas 51.4%, of the frozen chicken burger were exceeded the permissible limit, but 45.7% of the raw chicken meat samples exceeded the permissible limit, while 20% from the chicken luncheon samples exceeded the permissible limit, moreover, E. coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloaca, Klebsiella aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Providencia stuartii and Providencia rettergii could be isolated from the examined samples of raw chicken meat and frozen chicken burger in varying percentages ranged from 2.86 to 22.85% and 2.86 to 20.00% respectively, while Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii, P. vulgaris and Morganella morganii only were detected in chicken luncheon in a percentage varying from 5.17 to 17.14%.

Furthermore, Campylobacter jejuni were isolated in a percentage of 14.3, 8.8 and 2.9% from the former examined samples respectively, while Salmonella organism were detected in raw chicken meat samples in a percentage of 5.7% but failed to be isolated from frozen chicken burger and chicken luncheon samples.

The relationship between total aerobic count and the incidence of Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella pathogens as well as the public health significance of the isolated organisms and preventive measures to improve the quality of the products were discussed.