(172-185) The microbiological quality & safety of locally produced commercial sausages in Ethiopia

Abstract: Small-scale sausage production is recent in Ethiopia. This study aimed to determine the microbiology of the products made available to the consumer. The microbiological quality of 120 samples of sausages (pork, beef, veal and chicken) collected from various supermarkets in Addis Ababa were investigated. The mean microbial counts ranged from 4.41 to 6.07 log cfu/g for aerobic mesophiles, 2.02 to 4.31 log cfu/g for Enterobacteriaceae, 1.06 to 3.41 log cfu/g for coliforms, 2.30 to 3.91 log cfu/g for enterococci, 2.42 to 4.93 log cfu/g for staphylococci, 5.16 to 7.50 log cfu/g for lactic acid bacteria and 2.70 to 4.69 log cfu/g for yeasts. Bacillus spp. dominated the aerobic mesophilic bacterial flora. Salmonella was isolated from two samples. Commercial sausages spoiled within 3 to 4 days under ambient storage and after 12 days under refrigeration storage. The pH value was around 6 and the moisture content values were higher than 30%. Time/Temperature abuse during processing and post-cooking contamination could result in the high count. Producers should follow basic hygienic procedures during processing.