MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF FRESH BEEF FROM BWARI AND KUBWA ABATTOIRS: FOCUS ON STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium widely recognised for its role in both clinical infections and foodborne illnesses. Its presence in meat products poses a considerable public health risk due to its ability to contaminate food and produce harmful enterotoxins. This study aimed to isolate and identify S. aureus from fresh meat samples obtained from slaughterhouses in Bwari and Kubwa, Abuja, Nigeria. A total of 100 meat samples were randomly and aseptically collected. The sample size was determined using the single proportion formula described by Lwanga and Lemeshow (1991), based on an assumed prevalence of 30%, a 95% confidence level, and a 10% margin of error. This number also aligns with international microbiological food safety guidelines, such as those of the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF), which recommend 60–100 samples for microbial quality assessments. Standard microbiological methods were employed for the preliminary identification of S. aureus, including culturing on Mannitol Salt Agar, Gram staining, and biochemical characterisation. Confirmation was performed using the coagulase test, a well-established diagnostic marker for pathogenic S. aureus. Results showed that 36% of the samples exhibited growth typical of S. aureus on selective media, while 18% were confirmed as coagulase-positive S. aureus. These findings underscore the potential public health hazards linked to meat contamination at the abattoir level and highlight the urgent need for improved hygiene practices during meat processing and handling.