ABSTRACT
Introduction: Microbiological quality of meat and meat products is of great public health significance since the consumption of contaminated meat has been reported as one of the major causes of food-related diseases. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the bacteriological quality of fresh beef sold in Birnin Kebbi Central Market. This was with a view to determining its safety for human consumption. Materials and methods: Beef samples were collected in triplicate from 10 different meat outlets from the market and were analysed using standard procedures. Results: The mean mesophilic aerobic bacterial counts from the 10 locations ranged from 3.2 × 105 to 3.9 × 108 cfu/g whereas a total of 49 isolates belonging to 7 genera including Bacillus subtilis 2 (4.1%), Proteus vulgaris 3 (6.1%), Enterobacter spp. 12 (24.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7 (14.3%), Escherichia coli 14 (28.6%), Salmonella spp. 3 (6.1%) and Staphylococcus aureus 8 (16.3%) were identified. The difference in the mean bacterial load among the 10 sampling location was statistically insignificant (p>0.05). Conclusion: High mesophilic aerobic bacterial counts and the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in beef pose a serious potential health hazard. Authorities and stakeholders should, therefore, intensify efforts to ensure that quality control and hygiene measures strictly adhere during meat handing.