Abstract of research

Incidence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in Ready to eat Foods

Hassanin, F. S.a; Reham, A. Amin a; Shawky, N.A.b and Gomaa, W.M.b

Abstract

A grand total of 90 random samples of ready-to-eat sandwiches of hawawshi, kofta, shawerma ( meat), shiesh tawook, panee and shawerma ( chicken) (15 of each) were collected from different fast food services in different districts in Menofia governorate. The incidences of E.coli were 46.7%, 40% and 33.3% of the examined ready to eat meat hawawshi, kofta and shawerma samples, respectively. Moreover, the isolated serotypes of E.coli in the examined ready to eat meat samples were O26, O111: H4, O119: H6, O124, O125: H21, O126 and O127:H6. While the incidences of E.coli in the examined ready to eat shiesh tawook, panee and shawerma were 26.7%, 33.3% and 33.3, respectively. Moreover, the isolated serotypes of E.coli from the examined ready to eat chicken samples were O26, O111: H4, O119: H6, O125: H21, O126 and O127:H6.The percentages of Salmonella in the examined ready to eat hawawshi, kofta, shawerma (meat), shiesh tawook, panee and shawerma (chicken), were 40%, 33.3%, 20%, 33.3%, 13.3% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, the isolated serotypes of Salmonella in the examined ready to eat samples were S. typhimurium, S. muenster, S. enteritidis, S. heidelberg, S. dublin, and S. haifa. The public health significance of the isolated organisms from the examined ready-to-eat sandwiches was discussed as well as some recommendations to ensure safety and quality of meat sandwiches prepared in fast food services were outlined.