Contamination of beef products with staphylococcal classical enterotoxins in Egypt and Saudi Arabia Kontamination von Rindfleischerzeugnissen mit klassischem Staphylokokkenenterotoxin in Ägypten und Saudi-Arabien

Food-borne pathogens are of high concern for public health and food safety. Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning is one of the most ecoReyad R. Shawish Naser A. Al-Humam nomically devastating types of food poisoning globally. The purpose of this study was to detect staphylococcal classical enterotoxins (SEs) in processed beef from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Egypt. 1 Department of Food Hygiene & Control, Faculty of In the present investigation a total of 250 random processed meat samples (50 each of minced meat, beef burger, beef sausage, beef Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Egypt kofta and beef luncheon) were collected from different super markets in the study area. Using conventional cultural methods, samples were 2 Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of cultured for isolation and identification of S. aureus. Multiplex PCR was Veterinary Medicine, King used to detect SEs of the classical type SEA, SEB, SEC and SED from isolates. Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia The percentage presence of S. aureus in minced meat, beef burger, beef sausage, beef kofta and beef luncheon was 38%, 22%, 30%, 32% and 12%, respectively. Multiplex PCR indicated that all examined samples contain different types of classical staphylococcal enterotoxins and only minced meat samples contained all four types of toxins. Multiplex PCR is efficient in detection of SEs from food andmay be used in tracing of toxins to promote food hygiene. Implications of contamination of processedmeat to food hygiene in the study area are highlighted.