1. Microbiological quality of meat
and meat products marketed in
Tripoli city, Libya: Review
Dr. Yousef M. Elshrek

2. • From safety perspective, refrigerated meat
and meat products have been linked to
outbreaks of pathogenic bacteria like E. coli
O157:H7 and Salmonella, and many others,
thus, consumers may be exposed to food
borne illness through unsafe preparation of
such products.
• Potential cross-contaminations were
common, with an average events noted per
household. Hands were the most commonly
observed vehicle of potential cross-
contamination.

3. • The aim of this paper is to review some
microbiological aspects of meat and meat
products distributed in different local
markets in Tripoli city, Libya.
• Studies were conducted separately and in
different occasions, in the years 1986 and
between 2005 – 2012.
• Samples were collected from different places
mainly, restaurants, hotels, houses and other
local markets in Tripoli area and its suburbs.

4. • Minced meat:
• In a study by (Elshrek et. el. 1986), dealing
with the microbiological quality of ground
beef, fifty one samples were randomly
collected from various butchers and markets
in Tripoli and its suburbs.
• Results indicated that the total plate count
(TPC) ranged between 5.2x103 to 5.1x
107cfu/g (Table 1).

5. Total plate count(TPC)Coliform bacteriaS. aureus
No. of
samples
contamina-
ted
Range of Counts
No. of samples
contaminatedRange of Counts
No. of samples
contaminatedRange of Counts
045.2×103-5.1×104152.0×102-2.0×310222.0×103-2.0×104
025.2×104-5.1×105122.1×104-2.0×105162.1×104-2.0×105
105.2×105-5.1×106122.1×105-2.0×106102.1×105-2.0×106
355.2×106-5.1×107122.1×106-2.0×107032.1×106-2.0×107
Table (1): Total bacterial count, Coliform and S. aureus of
ground meat sold in Tripoli
Ref. (Elshrek et.al. 1986)

6. • Beef Burger
• Results indicated that beef burger samples were
highly contaminated with several pathogenic
bacteria such as E. coli (74.5%), E. coli O157:H7
(27.1%), S. aureus (28.8%) and Aeromonas
(18.6%), Table(2).
Meat
Status
Pathogens and Contamination percentage (%)
Aeromonase S. aureus E. coli E. coliO157:H7 Salmonella
Uncooked 18.6 28.8 74.5 27.5 01.7
Cooked 09.6 03.2 05.4 11.9 01.0
Table (2) Percent of pathogenic bacteria Contamination of
uncooked and cooked spiced beef burger sold in Tripoli
Ref. Elshrek et.al. (2008)

7. • Chicken burger:
• Ali ( 2007 ) investigated the microbiological
quality of uncooked and cooked spiced
chicken burger in some restaurants and fast
food places in Tripoli city and surrounding
areas, using 120 samples (64 cooked and 56
uncooked) .
• The results indicated that all the samples
were heavily contaminated with pathogenic
bacteria , Table (3).

8. Meat
Status
Pathogens and Contamination percentage (%)
Aeromonase S. aureus E. coli E. coli O157:H7 Salmonella
Uncooked 25.9 29.6 66.6 20.3 12.9
Cooked 03.12 01.65 10.9 04.68 01.56
Table (3) Percent of pathogenic bacteria Contamination Of
uncooked / cooked chicken burger
Ref. Ali (2007)

9. • Kofta (Meat Balls):
• Alkhaldy(2007), investigated the microbiological
quality of Libyan Kufta(meat balls), using 92
samples collected from 29 houses, 31 wedding
places, 10 restaurants and 7 hotels in Tripoli city
and its surrounding areas.
• As could be seen in Table 4 below

10. Types of
pathogenic
bacteria
Contamination percentage (%)
Houses Hotels Houses Hotels wedding
places
restaurants
Uncooked Cooked
S .aureus 40.0 42.0 07.0 43.0 23.0 20.0
E.coli 46.6 71.4 - - - -
E.coli O157:H7 13.3 14.2 06.9 14.0 19.4 30.0
Salmonella ssp 20.0 14.2 03.0 0.0 23.0 03.0
Shigella ssp 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Aeromonas ssp 13.3 42.0 06.9 14.0 16.0 10.0
Table (4) Percent of pathogenic bacteria Contamination of uncooked / cooked
Kofta (Meat balls) prepared at different places in Tripoli
Ref. (Alkhaldy 2007)

11. • Camel Meat
• Abed Ala-el (2006) conducted a study dealing
with the microbiological quality of camel meat,
using fresh meat samples from 120 carcasses,
their ages ranged between 1-3 years.
• The samples were collected from abattoirs in
Tripoli area, belongs to the government and
private sector.
• The study conducted over two season periods,
the first (summer) period started on August first
to the end of October 2004, and the second
(winter) period was from December first to the
end of February 2005
• Results of this study showed in the folowing
table(Table5).

12. Type of pathogen Contamination percentage (%)
First Period Second period
A. hydrophila 65.0 06.0
A. sobria 35.0 94.0
S. aureus 97.0 56.0
Salmonella anatum 04.0 0.0
E. coli 41.0 0.0
E. coli O157:H7 0.0 0.0
Campylobacter 0.0 0.0
Table (5) Percent of some pathogenic bacteria Contamination
of camel meat Sold in Tripoli
Ref. (Abed Ala- el (2006)

13. • Fresh sausage (Mergaz) :
• A recent study was conducted by Abomengeal, ( 2010)
aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of
sausages sold in some market places within Tripoli city
using a total of 140 samples.
• Microbiological tests included: Total microbial count,
psychrotrophic bacteria, coliforms and thermo-tolerant
coliforms (fecal) counts (Table 6).
• In a recent study in the same area Ben-Hamza (2012)
indicated that the percentage of contamination E. coli
and E. coli0157:H7 was 81% and 49.95% respectively
(Table 6).
• Using PCR technique aided by biochemical tests she
confirmed the presence of E. coli 0157:H7 virulence
genes Shiga toxin genes (stx1) and (stx 2) in 25% and
24.95% of the samples respectively (Table 6).

14. Type of pathogen Abomengeal study.
2010
Ben Hamza study
2012
E. coli --------- 81%
E. coli O157:H7 39.3% 49.95%
Salmonella 2.1% -------
Table (6) Percent of some pathogenic bacteria Contamination
of Mergaz Sold in Tripoli
Ref. (Abomengeal (2010) and Ben - Hamza (2012)

15. • On the light of the above data, one could
conclude that the microbiological quality of
meat and meat products marketed in Tripoli
during the period covered by the cited studies
(2005-2012) were very low and could be
considered unsafe from microbiological view
point due to the high percentage of several
pathogenic bacteria.
• This reflects the low measures of quality control
and no concern regarding personal hygiene and
sanitation and manufacturing practices.