Abstract

EVALUATION OF GOOD HYGIENIC PRACTICES IN REDUCING BACTERIAL LOAD IN BUTCHER SHOPS IN KHARTOUM STATE, SUDAN

Sahar Ahmed Adam Yousif and Elniema Abdelkhalig Mustafa*

Abstract

This cross‐sectional analytical study was carried out during the year 2019 in the three Khartoum State localities (Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri), Sudan with the objective to assess the effect of good hygienic practices (GHPs) on reducing bacterial load of minced meat in butcher shops. Eighteen butcher shops (open and closed, 9 for each) from the three localities were investigated. Both checklists and microbiological tests were used in the evaluation. Eighteen minced meat samples were collected and examined bacteriologically. This study revealed good floor cleaning conditions in closed butcher shops, while open shops scored adequate conditions with no significant differences between them (p> 0. 223). The study also revealed poor hygienic practices concerning the antimicrobial solution (disinfection) used for washing down of preparation areas in both open and close shops with no significant differences between them (p= 0.11). Equipment such as mincers and weighing scales sanitation were assessed as good and adequate in all butcher shops with closed shops scored better conditions with no significant difference between them (p-value =0.526). This was evident by the negative correlation between GHPs regarding equipment cleaning and the prevalence of E. coli (R2= -0.519, p=0.027). Khartoum locality scored less positive E. coli isolates (1, 16.7%) as compared to Bahri (2, 66.7%) and Omdurman (3, 100%). Whereas, in closed butcher shops there were adequate GHPs in Khartoum (100%) and Omdurman (66.7%) that prevented meat not to fall on the floor, these were totally absent in Bahri (0.0%). This was evident by the negative correlation between GHPs in terms of meat not found dropped on the floor (R2= -0.495, p=0.037) and the percentage of E. coli. While, the percentage of E. coli distribution in the study area was 38.9%, the difference between the prevalence of E. coli in open and closed butcher shops was significantly different (p=0.025). It could be concluded that poor hygiene practices in open butcher shops was reflected in the exceeding limits of E. coli prevalence and high mean bacterial counts.

Keywords: Butcher shops, Good Hygienic practices, E. coli count; total bacterial count.