Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate microbiological quality of goat carcass in the Ethiopian export abattoirs, located in Modjo from January to April, 2017. Swabbed samples of 180 were collected from three abattoirs: 144 were from 12 carcass of three anatomical sites (thorax, hind and foreleg), 24 employees' hands and apron, and 12 carcass washing water to determine coliform counts (CFU), Escherichia coli and total plate counts (TPC) as indicator organisms focusing carcass decontamination effects of post washing, acid spray and chilling. The mean result for TPC log/cm² was 4.22, 4.03 and 3.56 for Abattoir 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Ranging from 1.7 to 7.4 and mean 3.95 ± 1.3 TPC log/cm² for the water, employees' hands and apron. There was 1.9±1.006 TPC counts/cm², 1.38±0.874 CFU counts/cm² and 1.28±0.799 E. coli/cm² mean in the carcass with statistically significant difference (p<0.05) level that meat handling procedures enabled the abattoirs with minimal microbial counts from washing to chilling. Strongly significant correlation (p<.05) among the microbials was observed. The study confirmed the abattoirs slaughtering procedures enabled to deliver safe carcass with very minimum microbial counts that 96.5% of the carcass was safe cumulative wise of which 84% was categorized in excellent standards. Carcass contaminating bacteria should be determined.

Key words. Microbial, goat carcass decontamination, Ethiopian export abattoirs.

Abbreviation

APC, Aerobic plate count; SPC, standard plate counts; TPC, total plate counts; TVC,  total viable counts;  CFU, coliform counts; ECC, Escherichia coli counts.