MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF SHAWARMA IN ASSIUT

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Abstract

Thirty samples of Shawarma (Cooked meat) were aseptically collected from various fast-food restaurants in Assiut City. The samples were examined for aerobic plate counts, Coliforms, S.aureus and Enterococci counts and for detection of Salmonellae, and Shigellae. The aerobic plate count ranged from 6x10 to 15x10°/g. with a mean value of 24.6x10'49. The counts of coliforms and S.aureus ranged from 1x102 to 5x10'/g, and 8x102 to 5x10'/g. with a mean value of 33.9x10 and 4.9x10 /g. respectively. The coliforms which could be detected in the examined Shawarma included Hafnia alvei, Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloaca. Enterococci, Salmonella, Shigella could not be detected in the examined Shawarma samples. Enterococci counts were less than 100/g.
The present investigation indicated that food-borne pathogens present in Shawarma constitute a potential public health hazard.