The distribution of Staphylococcus sp. on bovine meat from abattoir deboning rooms

In developing countries such as South Africa, Staphylococcus aureus has been shown consistently to be one of the most important micro-organisms responsible for food poisoning outbreaks. In this study, the staphylococci in selected South African abattoirs were quantified, identified and further characterized in terms of coagulase types. The highest staphylococci counts (1.7×106 cfu g−1) were observed in the meat from the high throughput (Grade A) abattoir during week 3. The counts exceeded the National Guidelines (102 cfu g−1) without exception and at least 50% surpassed the levels sufficient to produce toxins (105 cfu g−1) determined for S. aureus. Species were dominated by S. capitis, S. xylosus, S. auricularis, S. aureus and S. intermedius. In terms of the coagulase types of S. aureus, type V was the most dominant and type VI the least. It became evident that the hygiene practices implemented by the abattoirs investigated in this study were not effective enough in reducing the contamination levels of the staphylococci from carcasses. It is therefore recommended that the sampled abattoirs revise their manufacturing strategies in order to reduce the levels of staphylococcal contamination which have been shown to be transferred through food handlers, surfaces, equipment and the environment.