Evaluation of Bacterial Contamination of Beef Carcasses in Namwala and Lusaka Districts, Zambia
Keywords:
Beef Carcass, Microbial Contamination, Good Hygiene Practices, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
Abstract
Abattoirs have been purported to be ideal areas were possible microbial contamination of meat products is likely to occur.A total of 314 food of animal origin, mainly, beef, has been identified as a source of dietary protein for humans albeit it being a source of food-borne diseases including zoonoses. This study was carried out to evaluate bacterial contamination and the risk factors associated with contamination of beef carcasses during processing. A total offour abattoirs were sampled within three months with one in Namwala and three in Lusaka districts. 314 beef carcass surface swabs were obtained from the neck region by swabbing the carcasses, immediately after evisceration and after washing. The results of mean total viable counts (TVC) of carcass contamination were enumerated as the mean log from 4.7 Log10 cfu/cm2in an abattoir where Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) practiced to 5.8 Log10 cfu/cm2 in abattoirs without HACCP. Bivariate analysis showed a significant difference in carcass contamination when town abattoirs (Lusaka) were compared with rural ones (Namwala); χ2 = 43.87, P < 0.0001. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified poor hygiene practices, the absence of antemortem inspection, and lack of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) implementation as significant factors associated with carcass contamination. The microbial load of the fresh beef carcasses in Namwala district was higher than that in Lusaka district as determined by the Total Viable Count. This is an indicator that beef is being produced under poor abattoir hygiene conditions. Therefore, beef carcasses with high bacterial loads are potential sources of foodborne pathogens leading to foodborne disease, hence, there is need for advocating for good hygiene practices in the abattoirs.References
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2. WHO, editor Developing and Maintaining Food Safetycontrol Systems for Africa Current Status and Prospects for Change2004; Bangkok, Thailand.
3. FAO. Milk and dairy products in human nutrition. Rome: 2013.
4. Mshana SE, Matee M, Rweyemamu M. Antimicrobial resistance in human and animal pathogens in Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Tanzania: An urgent need of a sustainable surveillance system. Annals of clinical microbiology and antimicrobials. 2013;12(1):28.5. Gracey JF. Meat hygiene: Baillière Tindall; 1986.
6. Antwi-Agyei P, Maalekuu B. Determination of microbial contamination in meat and fish products sold in the Kumasi metropolis (A case study of Kumasi central market and the Bantama market). Merit Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Soil Sciences. 2014;2[3]:38-46.
7. Korsak N, Daube G, Ghafir Y, Chahed A, Jolly S, Vindevogel H. An efficient sampling technique used to detect four foodborne pathogens on pork and beef carcasses in nine Belgian abattoirs. Journal of Food Protection®. 1998;61[5]:535-41.
8. Bintsis T. Microbial pollution and food safety. AIMS Microbiol. 2018;4[3]:377-96.
9. Uçar A, Yilmaz MV, Cakiroglu F. Food Safety–problems and solutions. Significance, Prev Control Food Relat Dis. 2016:3-15.
10. Barros MdAF, Nero LA, Monteiro AA, Beloti V. Identification of main contamination points by hygiene indicator microorganisms in beef processing plants. Food Science and Technology (Campinas). 2007;27[4]:856-62.
11. CSO. Central Statistical Office labour force survey-Republic of Zambia. 2015.
12. World-Bank. What would it take for Zambia’s beef and dairy industries to achieve their Potential? Finance and private sector development unit, Africa region. 2011 Report No. 62377-ZM.
13. CSO. Preliminary livestock and aquaculture census Results. Central Statistics Office, 2017.
14. Akinro A, Ologunagba I, Yahaya O. Environmental implications of unhygienic operation of a city abattoir in Akure, Western Nigeria. ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 2009;4[9]:60-3.
15. Central Statistical Office MoH, International I. Zambia demographic and health survey 2013–14. Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Health, and ICF International; 2014.
16. C.D.C. Global health - Zambia Centers for disease control and prevention2019 [updated 17/06/2019]. Available from: https://http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/countries/zambia/.
17. SES. Diarrheal Diseases in Zambia 2016. Available from: http://ses-zambia.com/diarrheal-diseases-zambia/.
18. Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, University of Zambia Teaching Hospital Virology Laboratory, University of Zambia Department of Population Studies, Tropical Diseases Research Centre/Zambia, ICF International. ZambiaDemographic and Health Survey 2013-14. Rockville, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, and ICF International, 2015.
19. LCC. Change project for Kabesha abattoir “Healthy animals safe food”. Lusaka City Coucil: Lusaka City Council, 2018.
20. FAO/RUAF. Assessing and planning the food system - Lusaka, Zambia. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation and RUAF Foundation, 2019 2019. Report No.
21. Muma JB. Application of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) concept to study cattle slaughterhouse hygiene and Carcass contamination in Zambia. 2008.
22. Jones RJ, Hussein HM, Zagorec M, Brightwell G, Tagg JR. Isolation of lactic acid bacteria with inhibitory activity against pathogens and spoilage organisms associated with fresh meat. Food Microbiology. 2008;25[2]:228-34.
23. Abreham S, Teklu A, Cox E, Sisay Tessema T. Escherichia coli O157:H7: distribution, molecular characterization, antimicrobial resistance patterns and source of contamination of sheep and goat carcasses at an export abattoir, Mojdo, Ethiopia. BMC microbiology. 2019;19(1):215-.
24. Wheatley P, Giotis ES, McKevitt AI. Effects of slaughtering operations on carcass contamination in an Irish pork production plant. Irish veterinary journal. 2014;67(1):1.
25. Mekonnen HHT, Kelali A,K S. Food safety knowledge and practices of abattoir and butchery shops and the microbial profile of meat in Mekelle City, Ethiopia. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 2013;3[5]:407-12.
26. Heinz G, Hautzinger P. Meat Processing technology for small to medium scale producers. BANGKOK: FAO, 2010.
27. Galland JC. Risks and prevention of contamination of beef carcasses during the slaughter process in the United States of America 1997.
28. Galland J. Risks and prevention of contamination of beef carcasses during the slaughter process in the United States of America. Revue Scientifique et Technique-Office International des Epizooties. 1997;16[2]:395-404.
29. Parish M, Beuchat L, Suslow T, Harris L, Garrett E, Farber J, et al. Methods to reduce/eliminate pathogens from fresh and fresh‐cut produce. Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety. 2003;2(s1):161-73.
30. FAO/WHO. Guidance to governments on the application of HACCP in small and/or less-developed food businesses. USA: FAO/WHO, 2011.
31. Mirembe BB, Ndejjo R, Musoke D. Sanitation and hygiene status of butcheries in Kampala district, Uganda. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. 2015;15[3]:10153-60.
32. Nel S, Lues JFR, Buys EM, Venter P. The personal and general hygiene practices in the deboning room of a high throughput red meat abattoir. Food Control. 2004;15[7]:571-8.
33. Adzitey F, Teye G, Dinko M. Pre and post-slaughter animal handling by butchers in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region of Ghana. Livest Res Rural Dev. 2011;23[2]:39.
34. Ntanga PD. Assessment of microbial contamination in beef from abattoir to retail meat outlets in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania: Sokoine University of Agriculture; 2013.
35. Buncic S, Nychas G-J, Lee MR, Koutsoumanis K, Hébraud M, Desvaux M, et al. Microbial pathogen control in the beef chain: recent research advances. Meat science. 2014;97[3]:288-97.
Published
2021-05-03
How to Cite
1.
Mwasinga W, Muma J, Kankya C, Mumba C, Munyeme M. Evaluation of Bacterial Contamination of Beef Carcasses in Namwala and Lusaka Districts, Zambia. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 3May2021 [cited 25Aug.2025];5(1). Available from: https://journals.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/490
Section
Veterinary Medicine
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