Tarbiat Modares University Infection Epidemiology and Microbiology 2588-4107 7 4 2021 11 01 Screening and Investigation of Microbial and Chemical Properties of Meat Products in Hamadan Province, Iran during 2012-2015 327 335 1865 10.52547/iem.7.4.327 EN Mehdi Ahmadi Department of Environmental Health, Food Safety Division, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mahsa Alikord Department of Environmental Health, Food Safety Division, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mohadeseh Pirhadi Department of Environmental Health, Food Safety Division, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Safdar Masoumi Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Ebrahim Molaee Aghaee Department of Environmental Health, Food Safety Division, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article Backgrounds: This study aimed to investigate chemical and microbiological properties of 1260 meat product samples, including sausage, bologna, hotdog, Kebab, and hamburger, in Hamadan, Iran from 2012 to 2015. Matherials and Methods: All microbial (total viable count as well as Coliform, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, mold, and yeast counts) and chemical (pH as well as salt, phosphate, sodium nitrite, moisture, protein, total fat, starch, nitrite, nitrate, and ash contents) properties were assessed by AOAC method. Findings: Microbial tests on sausage and bologna samples showed that the total count of microorganisms was higher (37.3%) than the national standard limit. In 11.3% of Kebab samples, the number of yeasts and molds was higher than the national standard limits. Also, in 3.5 and 17.07% of hamburger samples, the total count of microorganisms as well as the number of molds and yeasts were higher than the national standard limits, respectively. In 34.6% of bolognas, 15.9% of sausages, 3.8% of hamburgers, and 54.3% of hotdogs, the moisture content was above the national standard. The fat content was above the national standard in 34.7% of sausages, 1.4% of Kebabs, 9.8% of bolognas, 1.2% of hamburgers, and 6.5% of hotdogs. Conclusion: The present study results showed that the level of contamination of a considerable number of samples was not matched with national standards, which could be a major health risk for consumers.

https://iem.modares.ac.ir/article_1865_69d1fc78dbda242c43ad6590368912d4.pdf