Thesis

Student: Ali Mohamed Ali Supervisor: Dr. Abdulahi Ali Herzi

Food security is a complex issue, where animal

proteins such as meats, meat products, fish and fishery

products are generally regarded as high risk commodity.

Food borne infections and illnesses is a major international health problem with consequent economic reduction.

There are four major pathogens that have frequently

been associated with meat and meat products.

One of the most significant food-borne pathogens

that has gained increased attention in recent years is

E. coli.

Currently, there is limited information regarding on meat contamination of E. coli in Somalia.

Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the

contamination level of E. coli, from Galkaio Meat

Market.

General Objectives:

To study E. coli contamination of meat in the meat

market.

Specific Objectives:

To collect meat specimen from Galkaio meat market for bacteriological culture. To make awareness of meat workers about the risks of meat contamination

Description of the study area:

Region :Mudug, Puntland,

Population : 500,000-600,000 Temperature ranges from 30C to 40C Annual rainfall: 350 mm to 650

mm

50 out of 270 butchers were selected from Galkaio

Meat Market who is registered from the

municipality of the district.

Pretested semi structured Questionnaire were used to collect data related to Hygiene 200 samples were collected, which is consisting of

100 meat samples and 100 samples from equipment

(like: tables, knifes, axes and containers).

Specimen was taken by using swabs with transport

media
( Buffered Peptone Water)

Samples were properly labeled with the date of collection, source and type of material and species. Then, samples are placed in ice boxes and send to the

Galkaio Central Veterinary Laboratory.

BGBB

LTB

A positive result is indicated by the red layer at the top

of the bottles after the addition of kovacs reagent.

This study found Escherichia coli contamination of Galkaio Meat market. The 100 samples of meat tested 12 were found positive for E. coli. Whereas 100 samples of equipment 15 were found positive.

The Table shows contamination of Meat and Equipment.

Types of Samples
Meat Tables Knifes Axes

No. of Samples
100 25 25 25

No. of Positives
12 6 4 4

%
12.00 24.00 16.00 16.00

Containers
TOTAL

25
200

1
27

0.40
13.50

Hygienic status of the containers and workers

themselves was questionable, and no cooling

system was used at all.

The market is acclimatized full of house fly and stray cats. Methods of slicing and hygienic practices seemed favorable for cross contamination.

The overall contamination of E. coli in the study area is found to be 15% in Equipment and 12% in Meat. similar findings were reported by Darwish et al.(2008) in the Amhara region of the east Gojjan zone in Ethiopia with the contamination of 17% in Equipment and 14% in Meat. The contamination rate of equipment and meat samples

found in this study was lower than Ethiopia.

Direct comparison of results is difficult due to differences in the study

methodologies, such as the type of slaughtering, improved enrichment

and isolation procedures, differences in sample size, the type of sample and how and when it was collected.

Factors could also contribute to the presence of E. coli:

Manual slaughtering of animals using contaminated equipment. In adequate hygienic practices in slaughterhouse as

well as meat market environment.

Poor hygiene equipment in market places and slaughterhouse.

Poor personal hygiene in the study area.

From the obtained results, we can conclude

that contamination by Escherichia coli. Was

found in equipment and meat samples

collected from Galkio meat market.

Awareness of meat workers about personnel hygiene.

Municipality should improve slaughterhouses and meat

market places. Government should implement continuous monitoring

of bacterial level in the slaughterhouse and markets so

as to limit contamination of E. coli.

Finally, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedures should adopted.

Thank you for your attention