Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in different kinds of meat in Tehran province, Iran

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes as an important foodborne pathogen in different kinds of meat.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 410 samples, including fresh and frozen meats of turkey, quail, chicken, ostrich, cattle, sheep and camel, fresh chicken liver and fresh minced meat were gathered and then analyzed according to USDA-FSIS method. To enumerate L. monocytogenes, the MPN procedure was used and also, strains were serotyped by using commercial specific antisera.

Findings

It was found that 28.05 percent of samples were positive for L. monocytogenes and the contamination of beef meat was higher than the others. The range of microbial load was from <2 to 940 MPN g−1. Most of the samples (94.39 percent) had a microbial load of <100 MPN g−1. Moreover, 56 percent of the strains belonged to serogroup 1, especially to 1/2a, although, the most frequently isolated serotype was serotype 4b (38.3 percent) in all samples. These findings indicate the potential risk of contamination in different kinds of meats by L. monocytogenes.

Originality/value

This survey is of academic value and of value to those working in the food hygiene and safety. Also, to the best knowledge of these researchers, there has been no serious research on this topic with all its aspects in Iran.

Citation

Mashak, Z., Zabihi, A., Sodagari, H., Noori, N. and Akhondzadeh Basti, A. (2015), "Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in different kinds of meat in Tehran province, Iran", British Food Journal, Vol. 117 No. 1, pp. 109-116. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-09-2013-0268