Public health importance of frozen meat

الملخص EN

ABSTRACT Forty five random samples of imported frozen beef meat were collected from different butcher’s shops and markets at Kalyobia governorate and twenty persons actually handling such meat were examined bacteriologically and mycologically.

The isolates from the surfaces of frozen meat were staphylococcus aureus (31.1%), E.

coli (13.3%), salmonella typhimurium (4.4%), penicillium (31.1%), Asper-gillus (20%), Fusarium (2.2%), Cladosporium (13.3%), Alternaria (4.4%), Rhodotorula (8.8%) and Candida albicans (6.6%).

While the percentages of the previously mentioned isolates from homogenates of the same samples were 26.7%, 11.1%, 2.2%, 26.7%, 17.8%, 2.2%, 11.1%, 2.2%,6.6% and 4.4% respectively.

Moreover, the examination of swabs obtained from hands of twenty persons resulted in the same isolates with percentages of 30%, 10%, 5%, 25%, 15%, 5%, 0%, 5%,10%and 5%respectively.

The public health importance of isolates as well as the suggested hygienic measures were discussed.