ASSESSMENT OF MEAT HANDLING PRACTICES AND OCCURRENCE OF Escherichia coli O157:H7 IN BEEF MEAT AND MEAT ASSOCIATED CONTACT SURFACES ALONG THE MEAT SUPPLY CHAIN IN HARAMAYA DISTRICT, EASTERN, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

One of the more recently identified foodborne pathogens is E. coli O157:H7. In Ethiopia, one of the most popular foods is raw meat. Unhygienic methods of processing and distributing meat, however, raise the possibility of meat contamination and subsequent human infection. Cross sectional study was conducted on assessment of meat handling practices and occurrence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef meat and meat associated contact surfaces along the meat supply chain in Haramaya District, Eastern Ethiopia fro m April to November 2022 I solation and identification were passed in different processes at laboratory . Out of 976 samples examined at Haramaya municipal abattoir, Butchers shop , Haramaya university abattoir, and student cafeteria provided 25 (10.08%), 18 (7.5%), 10 (4.03%), and 3 (1.25%) positive Escherichia coli O157:H7 , respectively . Of these results, 7 (22.58%) from excrement, 5 (16.12%) from the hide, 4 (12.23%) from hook, and 4 (12.23%) from meat samples at the abattoir and 7 (29.17%) fr om hook, 5 (20.83%) from meat, and 4 (16.7%) from cutting board at Butchers shop were significant differences among sample sources. In general, E. coli O157:H7 was shown to have a high prevalence in the feces samples, hide swab samples, and meat samples obt ained from cattle slaughtered at Haramaya municipal abattoir and high prevalence at the meat and meat contact surfaces at Butchers shop from four study sites