HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cohen, N. Articles by Karib, H. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Cohen, N. Articles by Karib, H.

Comparative Study of Microbiological Quality of Raw Poultry Meat at Various Seasons and for Different Slaughtering Processes in Casablanca (Morocco)

N. Cohen^*,1, H. Ennaji^*, B. Bouchrif^*, M. Hassar^* and H. Karib

^* Laboratoire de Microbiologie et d’Hygiène des Aliments et de l’Environnement Institut Pasteur du Maroc, 1 Place Louis Pasteur, Casablanca 20100, Morocco; and Département Hygiène et Industrie des Denrées Alimentaires d’Origine Animale, Institut Hassan II d’Agronomie et de Médecine Vétérinaire, B.P. 6202-Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat 10101, Morocco

Correspondence: ¹ Corresponding author: nozha.cohen{at}pasteur.ma

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the bacterial quality of chicken (n = 96) and turkey (n = 96) marketed in Casablanca, Morocco. Poultry samples (n = 192) were collected randomly from traditional shops and supermarkets during 2 sampling periods (hot and cold seasons). The samples were analyzed for the presence and counts of various bacteria. Results indicated that aerobic plate counts and fecal coliforms were particularly high in all the samples analyzed. Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes were detected, respectively, in 48.4, 10.4, 7.2, 1.6, and 0.5% of the poultry meat samples. The chicken and turkey samples contained, respectively, 25 and 33.3% of bacteria above the maximum limits established by the Moroccan regulatory standards. The highest bacterial counts in poultry meat product samples were recorded with the traditional slaughtering process during the hot season (P < 0.05). These high levels of microbial contamination and occurrence of pathogenic bacteria reflect the poor hygienic quality of poultry meat under these conditions.

Key Words: bacterial quality • chicken • turkey • slaughtering process • season