The presence of Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in beef slaughterhouses in Aydin province

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes are important foodborne patogens for public health. The aim of this study was to search the presence of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes microorganisms at the control points of the beef slaughterhouses and on the carcasses of the cattle slaughtered therein in Aydın province. For this study, three slaughterhouses were visited four times in 15-day periods and 348 swab samples in total were taken from their environment, equipment and employees. The samples taken were tested in the laboratory for the presence of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes microorganisms.With this study, E. coli O157:H7 (4.6 %) and L. monocytogenes (3.4 %) were isolated for the first time from the environmental samples of slaughterhouses of Aydın province. E. coli O157:H7 or L. monocytogenes microorganisms were not detected in the samples taken from the surfaces of the beef carcasses. E. coli O157:H7 prevalances in the samples taken from the holding pens, slaughter halls, employees hands, equipment including carcass hangers and meat-carrying wagons, and chilling rooms of the slaughterhouses were found as 41.67, 6.25, 5.50, 0.64 and 0 %, respectively whereas L. monocytogenes prevalances were 33.34, 6.25, 1.28, 0 and 0 %, respectively as well.The results of this study indicates that E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes bacteria were present in the slaughterhouses of Aydın province and the prevalances of both patogens were gradually decreased to zero levels within the slaughtering process from the holding pens of the slaughterhouses through the dispatch of the beef carcasses.