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Abstract A total of 100 samples of chicken products including: chicken fillet, chicken burger, chicken frankfurter and chicken luncheon (25 each) retailed for sale in different supermarkets at Giza province were randomly collected during the period extended from January to March 2016. Each sample was transferred directly with a minimum of delay to the laboratory of Food Hygiene, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki, Giza. Samples were assessed microbiologically immediately after arrival to the laboratory through determination of aerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae count, Coliforms count, isolation of E. coli and Salmonellae, Staphylococci count, mould and yeast count. The obtained results revealed that: The mean values of APC of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger were 2.6×106 ± 1.1×106, 1.2×106 ± 8.8 ×105, 9.6×105 ± 2.43× 105 and 7.4×105 ± 5.9×105 cfu/g, respectively. According to the limits proposed by the Egyptian Standards (APC must not exceed 104), it was noticed that 56, 28, 68 and 44% of the examined samples of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger, respectively failed to comply with the standard limits. The mean values of Enterobacteriaceae count of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger was 1.2×103 ± 1.7×102, 1.9×103 ± 2.6×102 and 2.2×103 ± 4.8×102 cfu/g, respectively. According to the limits proposed by the Egyptian Standards (There is no permissible limit for Enterobacteriaceae), it was noticed that 56, 76, 84 and 80% of the examined samples of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger, respectively failed to comply with the standard limits. The mean values of Coliforms count of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger was 3.2×103 ± 5.9×102, 9×102 ± 3.3×102, 6.6×103 ± 2.4×103 and 5.3 × 103 ± 2.4×103 cfu/g, respectively. According to the limits proposed by the Egyptian Standards (Coliforms count must not exceed 102), it was noticed that 16, 4, 36 and 24% of the examined samples of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger, respectively failed to comply with the standard limits. The trail of isolation of E. coli revealed that E. coli was isolated from 20 and 4 % of the examined samples of fillet and burger, respectively while it could not be isolated from examined luncheon and frankfurter samples. On contrary, Salmonellae could not be isolated from the examined samples of chicken products. The mean values of Staphylococci count of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger were 4.1×102 ± 2.2×102, 4×10 ± 4×10, 2.6×102 ± 1×102 and 1.2×103 ± 5.6×02 cfu/g, respectively. According to the limits proposed by the Egyptian Standards (Staphylococci count must be =0), it was noticed that 24, 4, 62 and 32% of the examined samples of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger, respectively failed to comply with the standard limits. The mean values of mould count of the examined samples of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger was 6.9×103 ± 3.5×102, 4.8×102 ± 3.9×102, 4.9 ×102 ± 1.6×102 and 4.5×102 ± 1.2×102 cfu/g, respectively. According to the limits proposed by the Egyptian Standards (moulds count must be =0), it was noticed that 56, 40, 72 and 76% of the examined samples of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger, respectively failed to comply with the standard limits. The mean values of yeast count of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger was 9.9×103 ± 3.2×103, 6.7×102 ± 2.9×102, 1.4×104 ± 3.4×103 and 3.2×104 ± 5.6×103 cfu/g, respectively. According to the limits proposed by the Egyptian Standards (yeasts count must be =0), it was noticed that 88, 56, 96 and 92% of the examined samples of luncheon, frankfurter, fillet and burger, respectively failed to comply with the standard limits. It was clear that the microbial status of the examined samples of chicken fillet and burger reflected higher contamination rates compared to the examined samples of chicken luncheon and frankfurter that may be explained by the fact that chicken luncheon and frankfurter were packed while chicken fillet and burger were not packed so they may be exposed to external contamination during preparation, handling and transportation. |