ABSTRACT
100 random fresh market samples of meat [50 from each of beef and mutton fresh meat] were collected from different butchers' shops. Moreover, 100 random market samples of locally manufactured meat products [20 samples from each of fresh sausage, minced meat, basterma, luncheon and hamburger] were also collected from different shops and supermarkets with variant sanitation levels located in different areas in Alexandria Province. Bacteriological examination of 200 samples of meat and its products revealed the presence of different kinds of food poisoning microorganisms. The most predominant bacteria isolated from meat [beef and mutton] and meat products [sausage, minced meat, basterma, luchneon and hamburger] were respectively: E. coli [80.0%, 66.0%, 80.0%, 75.0%, 85.0% and 70.0%], Shigella flexneri type 6 [46.0%, 0.0%, 60.0%, 60.0%, 60.0%, 50.0% and 50.0%], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [40.0%, 30.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0% and 20.0%], Klebsiella pneumoniae [40.0%, 30.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%], Proteus species [0.0%, 45.3%, 12.5%, 12.5%, 35.5%, 17.5% and 12.5%], Salmonella [40.0%, 80.0%, 0.0% and 0.0%] and Strept. species [20.0%, 0.0%, 22.5%, 15.0%, 0.0%, 0.0% and 0.0%], respectively. The pathogenic strains of E. coli were differentiated serologically into the following O-serogroups: 02 [11.3%], 04 [9.3%], 06 [13.2%], 011 [6.6%]. 015 [6.6%], 026 [7.3%], 0101 [5.3%] and non-pathogenic E. coli [40.4%]. The zoonotic importance and public health implication of the abovementioned organisms as well as the suggestive methods for minimizing and preventing bacterial contamination especially those causing food poisoning were discussed