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Incidence of Salmonellae In Some Meat Products


B.A. Prior
L. Badenhorst

Abstract

Fresh pork sausage, biltong, beef mince and chicken carcasses available to the consumer in Pretoria, were examined for salmonellae using standard enrichment, plating and biochemical techniques. The incidence of salmonellae in pork sausage was 40% and in beef mince 64%. The frequent occurrence of salmonellae in biltong (16% of the samples) makes consumption a serious health hazard, since it is eaten raw. Salmonellae were found in 20% of the chicken carcasses, but contamination seemed to be associated mainly with one processor. Where data could be compared with previous local surveys (beef mince and biltong), it appears that the incidence of salmonellae is increasing. The most frequently isolated serotypes of salmonellae in this study were Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella thompson. The results indicate the need for greater 'microbiological control in the meat industry.


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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574