Hazard analysis and critical control point evaluation of eggs and basterma meal

ABSTRACT

Hazard analysis is conducted for a meal made from fried eggs with basterma prepared as sandwiches. Samples of the meal as well as its raw ingredients together with samples from similar meal prepared under laboratory conditions were analyzed microbiologically. The obtained results revealed high significant difference [p meal collected from markets and that prepared in the laboratory. The latter showed significantly lower aerobic sporeformers, Bacillus cereus and Total yeast and Mold counts [mean log/ g] 3.36 +/- 2.35, 2.15 +/- 1.2, 2.58 +/- 2.23 and 2.15 +/- 1.10 compared with 4.20 +/- 3.38, 3.00 +/- 1.95, 4.41 +/- 3.36 and 3.38 +/- 2.28 for purchased meal respectively. However, the other counts [Aerobic plate, Total Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococci, Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, and Coliforms] were as few as uncountable in the laboratory prepared meal, while, the purchased meal samples contained the forementioned counts in a relatively higher rates, 6.38 +/- 5.34, 5.32 +/- 4.26, 4.93 +/- 3.04, 5.15 +/- 4.23, 4.43 +/- 2.58 and 3.73 +/- 2.8 [mean log/g] respectively. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli [EPEC], Salmonella and Shigella isolates could be revealed from retailed meal samples in percentages varied from 10% to 40%, while non of them could be detected in the prepared one. Neither Listeria monocytogenes nor Yersinia enterocolitica could be isolated from both types of meals. Moreover, non of the bacterial pathogens experimentally inoculated could resist the frying temperature of the prepared meals. The raw ingredients, mixing different ingredients, holding prepared meal at room temperature for several hours. filling sandwiches, wrapping, as well as distribution of the meal were the stations where major contamination and hazards may occur, whereas heat treatment of the meal was the critical point where microbial growth may be controlled. The public health importance of the isolated pathogens and the suggested measures for controlling hazards associated with such meal were mentioned