Food born pathogen contamination of some meat products in Damanhur City, Egypt

<title>Abstract</title> <bold>Purpose</bold> : The study assessed the chemical and microbial quality of some meat products (Liver, Luncheon, minced meat, and Sausage) in addition to detecting some virulence genes associated with some isolated strains. <bold/> <bold>Method</bold> : Two hundred random samples of meat products including 50 samples each of (minced meat, Liver, luncheon and sausage) were randomly collected from different butchers at Damanhur city, El Behera Governorate for some chemical (TVN and TBA) and microbiological evaluation (APC, Staph. aureus, E.coli, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium perfringens), in addition, detection of virulence genes in some isolated strains. <bold>Result</bold> : The obtained results revealed that mean values of TVB-N and TBA was higher in liver than other meat products. In regard to microbiological evaluation, results revealed that incidence of staph. aureus, E.coli, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus and clostridium perfringens were (40, 24, 20 and 30%), (36, 10, 8 and 30%), (2, 4, 0, 4%), (16, 20, 24 and 34%) and (28, 10, 18, and 36%), in the examined minced meat, liver, luncheon and sausage, respectively. Salmonella could not be detected in examined luncheon samples. Regarding virulence genes (Pvl and Sea) and (invA and Stn) were detected in 100% of isolated Staph. aureus and Salmonella strains, respectively. eaeA was detected in 100% of isolated E.coli strains while Stx2 was detected in only one strain. Isolated strains of Clostridium perfringens were positive for enterotoxin gene (cpe) and alpha-toxin (cpa) at percent 100%. <bold>Conclusion</bold> : The presence of aerobic bacteria like Staphylococci aureus, E. coli, bacillus cereus, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens may be due to poor hygienic measures during processing and handling of meat products. So, consumption of these products could be associated with possible risk of infection, suggesting the need for the institution of strict hygienic measures during handling of meat products.