Prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae in Camel, Cattle, and Sheep Carcasses at Slaughterhouses and Butcher Shops

Enterobacteriaceae can contaminate meat during various processing stages, including slaughter, evisceration, and b utchering, potentially causing foodborne illnesses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae in carcass samples obtained from slaughterhouses and meat cuts collected from butcher shops. A total of 120 samples of camel, cattle, and sheep meat were analyzed for microbial contamination and isolates were identified using the PCR test. Total viable count ranged from 4.91 to 5.37 Log(10) CFU/g in slaughterhouses and butcher shops. E. coli dominated, with 84 out of the 120 samples (70%) contaminated, where contamination was highest in camel meat and lowest in sheep meat with 100% and 30% of contaminated samples, respectively. Salmonella was confirmed in 40% of camel, 47.5% of cattle, and 32.5% of sheep samples. In addition, twenty-five Enterobacteriaceae strains belonging to 19 different genera were detected in the meat samples. The highest occurrence was in the sheep samples with 15 different genera followed by the camels and the cattle samples with 14 different genera each. The presence of Enterobacteriaceae in camel, cattle, and sheep carcasses raises significant concerns regarding food safety. Adherence to good hygiene practices throughout animal slaughtering is crucial to minimize the risk of infection and transmission and ensure food safety.