ABSTRACT
This study aimed to determine the presence of Enterobacteriaceae in beef products as luncheon, pasterma, frankfurter and minced meat as these microbes are considered as major cause of foodborne illness.A total of 100 samples [25 of each beef product] were collected from different retail outlets. Each sample was kept in a separate sterile plastic bag and transferred in an ice box to the laboratory under complete aseptic conditions with a minimum of delay. All collected samples were bacteriologically examined for isolation and identification of Enterobacteriaceae. We found that the most important bacteria that isolated from minced meat were E. coli [44%], Enterobacter spp. Especially Enterobacter aerogenes [12%], Enterobacter intermedium [4] and Enterobacter gergoviae [4%], Citrobacter spp. that includes Citrobacter amalonaticus [4%], Citrobacter diversus [4%] and Citrobacter freundii [4%], serratia spp especially Serratia marcescens 8%], Serratia ficaria [8%], Serratia fonticola [12%], Serratia liquefaciens [4%] and Serratia rubidaea [8%], Edwardsiella spp. Especially Edwardsiella ictalori [8%] and Edwardsiella hoshinae [12%], Povidencia spp. [8%] especially Providencia alcalifciens [4%], Klebsiella pneumoniae especially Subsp. Ozanae [4%] and Proteus spp. especially Proteus mirabilis [16%]. The most important bacteria that isolated from luncheon were E. coli [32%], Enterobacter spp. Especially Enterobacter aerogenes [8%], Enterobacter intermedium [4%] and Enterobacter gergoviae [8%], Citrobacter spp. that includes Citrobacter amalonaticus [12%], Citrobacter diversus [4%] and Citrobacter freundii [16%], Serratia spp. Especially Serratia marcescens [8%], Serratia ficaria [12%], Serratia fonticola [4%], Srratia liquefaciens [4%] and Serratia rubidaea [8%], Edwardsiella spp. especially Edwardsiella ictalori [8%] and Edwardsiella hoshinae [16%], Providencia spp. especially Providencia alcalifciens [4%], Klebsiella pneumoniae especially Subsp. Ozanae [12%] and Proteus spp. especially Proteus mirabilis [8%]. Also, the most important bacteria that isolated from pasterma were E. coli [40%], Enterobacter spp. Especially Enterobacter aerogenes [8%], Enterobacter intermedium [4%] and Enterobacter gergoviae [12%], Citrobacter spp. that includes Citrobacter amalonaticus [4%], Citrobacter diversus [12%] and Citrobacter freundii [4%], Serratia spp. Especially Srratia marcescens [4%], Serratia ficaria [8%], Serratia fonticola [4%], Serratia liquefaciens [4%] and Serratia rubidaea [8%], Edwardsiella spp. especially Edwardsiella ictalori [12%] and Edwardsiella hoshinae [8%], providencia spp. especially providencia alcalifciens [8%], Klebsiella pneumoniae especially subsp. Ozanae [8%] and Proteus spp. especially Poteus mirabilis [12%]. Eventually, the most important bacteria that isolated from frankfurter were E. coli [36%], Enterobacter spp. Especially enterobacter aerogenes [4%], enterobacter intermedium [4%] and enterobacter gergoviae [8%], Citrobacter spp. that includes Citrobacter amalonaticus [8%], Citrobacter diversus [4%] and Citrobacter freundii [4%], Serratia spp. Especially Serratia marcescens [4%], Serratia ficaria [12%], Serratia fonticola [4%], Serratia liquefaciens [4%] and Serratia rubidaea [4%], Edwardsiella spp. especially edwardsiella ictalori [8%] and Edwardsiella hoshinae [12%], providencia spp. especially Providencia alcalifciens [4%], Klebsiella pneumoniae especially subsp. Ozanae [8%] and Proteus spp. especially Proteus mirabilis [8%]