ASSESSMENT OF FUNGAL CONTAMINATION OF FRESH GOAT MUSCLES

A total of 15 samples of goat muscles were collected from a village related to Assiut Governorate. The animals were slaughtered outside the slaughter houses under unhygienic conditions. The collected samples were 5 muscles of each shoulder, psoas and thigh and obtained from the same owner at different intervals to evaluate the mycological quality of goat carcases as meat is retailed in small quantities from hung carcases throughout the day and the carcase is exposed to ambient temperature, atmospheric and microbial load due to handling practices. The average mould count was 52, 24 and 44/g, while the average yeast count was 24x103, 19x103 and 24x102/g of the examined shoulder, psoas and thigh muscles, respectively. Also, the incidence of identified mould species isolated from examined goat muscles was Asp. flavus (14.29%), Asp. niger (57.13%), Mucor spp.(14.29%) and penicillium spp. (14.29%).