| Abstrakt: |
There is an increase in the consumption of poultry meat, which leads to a high influx of imported frozen chicken fillets into the Macedonian markets and there is little information on their microbial qualities. Our study examined the microbiology quality of imported frozen chicken fillets from Brazil in Macedonia in warm and cold seasons. A total of 47 samples (frozen chicken half breast, skinless boneless without inner fillet) were analyzed in an accredited laboratory, from which 25 samples were in warm and 22 samples in the cold season. The total bacteria count (TBC), Staphylococcus aureus count, and the presence of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. were determined by plate count technique using the appropriate media. TBC mean counts that were found in the warm season (6.17 log CFU/g), and in the cold season (5.95 log CFU/g) meet the international criteria. There wasn't a significant difference between the level of TBC counts in the warm and cold seasons. Staphylococcus aureus was found only in 6 samples, and all of them meet the international criteria. Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. were not detected. But in our study as part of the Enterobacteriaceae family on XLD agar, Proteus spp. was isolated. Proteus spp. was found in 19 of 25 samples analyzed during the warm season, and in the cold season, it was found in 5 of 22 samples analyzed. There was a significant difference between the number of positive samples for Proteus spp. in warm and cold seasons. We suspect that this difference originates from temperature abuses that occur during transport, which are greater in the summer period. The frozen chicken fillets in Macedonia are contaminated with Proteus spp. This should not be ignored because some Proteus strains are opportunistic pathogens and can endanger people's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
