Bacteriological Quality of Fresh Raw Beef and Chevon Retailed in Lafia Metropolis, Nigeria

Raw beef and chevon retailed in Lafia were assessed to determine their bacteriological quality, following standard microbiological procedures. A total of eighty (80) samples comprising forty (40) raw beef and forty (40) raw chevon samples were randomly collected between June and August 2015, from three open markets and street vendors which serve as major sources of raw meat in Lafia metropolis. Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Proteus species (sp), Salmonella sp, Shigella sp, Pseudomonas sp, and Klebsiella sp were identified as contaminants in the meat samples analyzed, with Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella sp being the most (96.3%) and least (42.5%) isolated contaminants respectively. Mean bacterial counts ranged from 1.23 x 10 7 to 6.11 x 10 8 cfu/g in both meat types. Total staphylococcal count (TSC) was higher in beef than in chevon. Over-all total aerobic count (TAC), total coliform count (TCC) and total salmonella-shigella count (TSSC) revealed a higher contamination rate in raw chevon than in raw beef samples, although the differences were not statistically significant ( p >0.05). Street vended beef samples and chevon from Lafia old market were most contaminated, with differences in the contamination rates between the locations sampled not statistically significant ( p >0.05). The study reveals that raw beef and chevon retailed in Lafia are contaminated beyond acceptable limits. Hence the need for enforcement of hygienic practices among sellers and public awareness on healthy handling of raw meat among consumers so as to safeguard the health of the general public.