MICROBIAL CONTAMINATIONS OF MEAT AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN HARAR CITY, HARARI REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

The consumption of raw meat has associated with cultural practices and widespread raw beef consumption habit that can be a potential source for food borne illnesses in Ethiopia. Therefore, the present study was intended to assess microbiological contamination and associated risk factors in Harari City, Harari Regional State, Ethiopia. A cross sectional study was employed where by a simple random sampling of Bucher shops (Groceries) in Harar City. The meat samples were collected aseptically, processed and analyzed. The hygienic practices of contamination of beef were assessed using a structured questionnaire which was administered to retail meat shop and abattoirs workers. The result of the microbial analysis of meat samples indicated significantly lower APC count (4.693 ±1.090) was reported from samples collected from HS03 at P ≤ 0.05. However, no significance difference in APC count was observed in the majority of meat samples collection sites. Most of the samples recorded APC LogCFU/mg > 5 which indicated that there was high level of meat contamination.Significantly lower number of total coliform count (4.760±0.86) was recorded from samples collected from HS05 as compared to HS01, HS02, and HS04. The contamination level of total coliform showed no significance difference between HS03 and HS05.Significantly higher number of EBC Log CFU/mg (4.80±1.07) count was recorded in meat samples collected from HS05 (P< 0.05). Meat samples collected from HS04 scored significantly highest (5.93±0.8 LogCFU/mg) E. coli count as compared to other sites (P< 0.05). Moreover, the parasitical loads were also found to be high and can pose public health risks. Additionally, The questionnaire survey of beef handling practices and hygienic conditions of abattoirs and butcher shop workers in the study area demonstrated the majority of the respondents have the shortage of detergents (55%, p>0.05), apron/white coat. The assessment of beef handling practices of groceries in the study area presented about 66.7 % (P>0.05) of the respondents handle meat without washing their hands, 63.3% (P>0.05) with poor hygienic condition of white coat, and 60% (P>0.05) with poor hair cover though the difference is insignificant (P>0.05). The assessment of hygienic practices of beef in groceries in the study area found that there was poor hygienic condition of vehicle for beef transport (53.3%, P>0.05), and poor hygienic condition of groceries (66.7%, P>0.05). The result of this study indicated poor meat safety status and hygiene practices at meat retailers in Harar city. Thus, appropriate meat safety intervention is needed.