Sanitary Risk Factors and Microbial Contamination of Grilled Meats Sold in Cotonou, Benin

Grilled meat is a rich foodstuff in protein and very important for human consumption. Its quality is all the characteristics that give it its organoleptic, nutritional, hygienic and technological properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the sanitary risk and the microbial contamination of grilled meat sold in Cotonou, Benin. To reach our goal, a semi-strutured investigation was conducted in the meat grilling production shops focusing on the characteristics of the company, the method of preparation of the meat, the type of meat produced and methods of preserving meat. A total of 50 samples of meats samples were analyzed for fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp, sulphite reducing anaerobes and total aerobic mesophilic counts. The susceptibility to conventional antibiotic was investigated by the disk diffusion method. The inspection of the meat grilling enterprises revealed that 73% of these companies are located on the edge of the high-traffic public road, 85% of which is sold by a person and 15% by 2 people. This activity is conducted solely by men (100%) in Cotonou and dominated by Nigerians (57%). Most of the grilled meats sell meat from both chickens and mutton (82%) and the majority (70%) get their supplies from slaughterhouses market. Before grilling operations, 97% of the sellers make a general cleaning and in case of slump 80% use the refrigeration to preserve their product. Total aerobic mesophilic flora, Staphylococcus, coliforms and Escherichia coli load recorded with chicken samples are higher than those observed on mutton samples are. Considering grilled mutton, Staphylococcus load (6.9 X 103 CFU/g) is higher than that of E. coli’s (1.4X102 CFU/g). The antibiogram test on strains of Staphylococcus to reveal overall that the resistance rates of Staphylococcus strains to antibiotics are less than or equal to 50% regardless of the antibiotic with a very strong inhibitory activity (98% inhibition) vancomycin and ciprofloxacin.