A total of 100 samples of broiler chicken carcasses including; 50 of freshly slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses and 50 of chilled chicken carcasses were randomly collected from different private poultry shops, supermarkets and retailing shops at Alexandria Province during the period extended from May, 2015 to October, 2015. Samples were subjected to microbiological evaluation via making of Aerobic Plate Count (APC), Enterobacteriaceae Count (EC), Coliforms Count (CC), Staphylococcal count and Total Mould and Yeast Count. In addition, isolation and identification of E. coli was attempted. It was found that APC ranged from 2.4×104 to 1.2×106, with a mean value 5.4×105±9.2×104 cfu/g in freshly slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses, while in chilled chicken carcasses APC ranged from 4.6×104 to 2.1×107, with a mean value 4.6×106±6.2×105 cfu/g. Concerning EC, it was found that EC in the freshly slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses ranged from 1.3×104 to 4.6×105 with a mean value of 2.3×105±6.2×104 cfu/g, while in chilled chicken carcasses ranged from 4.1×104 to 5.2×105 with a mean value of 4.9×105±8.2×104 cfu/g. Also, it was recorded that CC in freshly slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses ranged from 1.1×103 to 2.3×105 with a mean value 6.4×104 ± 1.2×104 cfu/g, while in chilled chicken carcasses CC ranged from 1.8×103 to 6.4×105 with a mean value 1.7×105 ± 4.6×104 cfu/g. Furthermore, E. coli could be isolated from freshly slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses and chilled chicken carcasses samples at incidences of 82% and 88%, respectively. It was found that the identified strains of Enteropathogenic E. coli from examined freshly slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses were O86:K61 by 18%, O26:K60 by 16%, O119:K69 by 12%, O124:K72 by 22% and O126:K71 by 14%. While, in chilled chicken carcasses were O86:K61 by 24%, O26:K60 by 18%, O119:K69 by 16%, O124:K72 by 14% and O126:K71 by 16% and in fresh birds carcasses were isolated O26:K60 by 18%, O86:K61 by 16%. According to the recorded results in the current study, it was clear that increased bacterial counts with occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in the examined samples that exceed the Egyptian standards reflected the poor hygienic conditions that accompanied the traditional slaughtering process and which reducing the quality of chicken meat sold under such conditions.
Key words: retailed chicken carcasses, microbiological evaluation, E. coli
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