A study on microbiological investigation of raw meatballs served for consumption in Diyarbakır

Raw meatballs; It is a traditional food product that is loved and consumed in all regions, especially in the provinces of the Southeastern Anatolia Region. This product; Since it is prepared by kneading raw bulgur, tomato paste, greens, minced meat and spices without applying heat treatment, it is among the very risky foods in terms of microbiological load. In this study; Microbiological analysis of a total of 40 meatball and meatless raw meatball samples, 28 meatless and 12 meaty, from different enterprises offered for consumption in Diyarbakır Central Districts, was performed and the risk status in terms of public health was examined. As a result of the microbiological analysis, the lowest and highest microorganism numbers are respectively; total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TMAB) 2.2x106-9.2x107 cfu/g, mold 1.0x103-8.1x106 cfu/g, Bacillus cereus 4.5x102-6.2x105 cfu/g, Staphylococcus aureus 1.0x103-8.2x105 cfu/g, Escherichia coli It was detected as 0-9.2x104 and coliform as 0-8.5x104. The average microorganism values of the analyzed raw meatball samples are; TMAB was determined to be 2.7x107 cfu/g, mold 7.8x105 cfu/g, Bacillus cereus 2.7x104 cfu/g, Staphylococcus aureus 4.7x104 cfu/g, Escherichia coli 5.5x103 cfu/g and coliform 1.1x104 cfu/g. In addition, in this study, as a result of the analysis of 28 meatless raw meatballs, the lowest and highest microorganism numbers were respectively; TMAB 1.5x106-8.7x107 cfu/g, mold 1.0x105-7.5x106 cfu/g, Bacillus cereus 4.5x102-3.2x105 cfu/g, Staphylococcus aureus 1.0x103-6.5x105 cfu/g, Escherichia coli 0-7.5 x104 and coliform were detected as 0-8.1x104. The average microorganism values of the meatless raw meatball samples analyzed are; TMAB was determined to be 1.7x107 cfu/g, mold 7.7x105 cfu/g, Bacillus cereus 1.4x104 cfu/g, Staphylococcus aureus 3.1x104 cfu/g, Escherichia coli 4.3x103 cfu/g and coliform 8.8x103 cfu/g. A total of 12 raw meatball samples with meat; The lowest and highest microorganism numbers are respectively; total mesophyll aerobic bacteria (TMAB) 5.5x106-9.2x107 cfu/g, mold 3.2x103-8.1x106 cfu/g, Bacillus cereus 5.9x102-6.2x105 cfu/g, Staphylococcus aureus 2.0x103-8.2x105 cfu/g, Escherichia coli It was detected as 0-9.2x104 and coliform as 0-8.5x104. The average microorganism values of the raw meatball samples analyzed were; TMAB was determined to be 5.2x107 cfu/g, mold 8.1x105 cfu/g, Bacillus cereus 5.8x104 cfu/g, Staphylococcus aureus 8.6x104 cfu/g, Escherichia coli 8.4x104 cfu/g and coliform 1.7x104 cfu/g. As a result of this study; In Diyarbakır, it has been determined that the raw meatballs served as treats in establishments selling only raw meatballs, as well as restaurants, fireplaces, many businesses serving tourists and some wedding halls, carry microbial pathogen loads that can potentially threaten public health. With this study; With the solution suggestions offered to prevent potential risks, it will contribute to increasing the awareness of our people and acting selectively when consuming raw meatballs. Keywords: Raw Meatballs with Meat, Raw Meatballs without Meat, Microbiological Quality, Diyarbakır