Microbiological evaluation of pizza with special concern to food-borne pathogens

ABSTRACT

Thirty samples of pizza randomly collected from different restaurants and pastries in Cairo and Giza governorates were investigated to evaluate their microbiological quality. The results indicated that the mean Aerobic plate, Enterobacteriaceae, Aerobic sporeformers, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococci, Staph. aureus, Enterococci, Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Coliforms, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli [SPEC] and yeast and mold counts per gram were 1.5 x 10 5, 2 x 10 4, 6.1 x 10 2, 2.1 x 10 2, 2.9 x 10 3, 6.1 x 10 2, 3.2 x 10 4, 2.4 x 10 2, 9.8 x 10 2, 1 x 10 2 and 6.5 x 10 3, respectively. Pizza was found to be contaminated with newly emerging food-borne pathogens such as Aeromonas hydrophila, as well as Salmonella species. Escherichia coli, Enterobacter agglomerans, E. coloacae, Citrobacter diversus, C. freundii, Klebsiella ozenae and K. rhinoschleromata were isolated in percentage ranged from 3.3 to 20%. However, neither Listeria monocytogenes nor Yersinia enterocolitica could be isolated from the examined samples. The public health hazards of the isolated organisms, as well as suggested control measures were fully discussed in order to improve the quality of pizza