Microbiological and nutritional characteristics of Egyptian beef luncheon

Abstract

This work was done to evaluate the nutritional and microbiological profile of beef luncheon produced in Egypt. Seventy beef luncheon samples were collected from ten different sources (LU01 to LU10) in the local market in Cairo, Egypt. The nutritional profile included (moisture, protein, fat, pH, and preservatives contents). The microbiological profile included (total bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, coliform group, yeast & mold, Staphylococci, in addition to some pathogens i.e., Salmonella/Shigella, Listeria sp., Campylobacter sp., and Bacillus cereus). The moisture, protein, and fat percentages ranged from 56.8 to 63.6%, 11.8 to 14.4%, and 18 to 25.1 %, respectively. LU03 showed the highest protein and lowest fat content (14.4 and 18%, respectively). Potassium sorbate, potassium benzoate, and nitrite concentrations ranged from 650 to 1180 ppm, 430 to 630 ppm, and 9 to 80 ppm, respectively. Natamycin and Nisin were detected in 40 and 20% of tested samples. Regarding the microbiological evaluation, lactic acid bacteria were absent in 30% of tested samples. The total bacterial count in the tested sample ranged from 2.49 to 4.74 Log10 cfu /g. Salmonella/Shigella, Listeria sp., and Campylobacter sp. were not detected in all tested samples, while Bacillus cereus was found in only three sources, while with percentages of 85.7 % in LU01 and LU02 while100% in LU03. The chemical composition of the studied beef luncheons was around the acceptable value according to Egyptian specifications. All tested preservatives were in the allowed range of Codex Alimentarius, except potassium sorbate and natamycin in 40% of the studied samples. The microbial content in most of the studied samples was higher than the permissible limits, while all samples were free of pathogenic bacteria tested. The study recommends emphasizing the importance of following sanitation and hygienic practices in the production of beef luncheons.