INCIDENCE OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS AND ESCHERICHIA-COLI IN-GROUND BEEF, BROILERS AND PROCESSED MEATS IN PRETORIA, SOUTH-AFRICA

Three types of processed meats (vienna sausage, shoulder ham, and cerv elat), ground beef and broilers were purchased from 17 different super markets in the Pretoria area (South Africa) during 1991. The 232 sampl es were analyzed for the presence of Escherichia coli and Staphylococc us aureus, with total aerobic plate counts (APCs) also being determine d. Escherichia coli was found in 74.5% of the ground beef samples, in 79.1% of the broilers, and in 27.7% of the processed meats. Staphyloco ccus aureus was found in 23.4% ground beef, 39.5% broiler and 7.1% pro cessed meat samples. The total APCs ranged from as low as log10 1 CFU/ g of sample (shoulder ham) to as high as log10 12.1 CFU/g (ground beef ). No identifiable relationship between the total APCs and the occurre nce of E. coli and/or S. aureus was evident. This study confirms the v iew that E. coli and S. aureus are frequent contaminants of meat, with South Africa being no exception.