BÜYÜKYÖRÜK, Sadık Adnan Menderes University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, TURKEY , BEYAZ, Devrim Adnan Menderes University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Turkey , GÖKSOY, Ergun Ömer Adnan Menderes University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Turkey , KÖK, Filiz Adnan Menderes University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Turkey , KOÇAK, Pelin Adnan Menderes University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Turkey

Microbiological evaluation of ready-to-eat sandwiches served near hospitals and schools

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The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat sandwiches made with cheese (CS, n=80), with fermented Turkish sausage (soudjouk) (SS, n=80), and with both cheese and soudjouk with salad (Mix+, n=60) and without salad (Mix-, n=50) from five different street vendors located near school and hospitals. Samples were examined for total aerobic mesophilic counts (AMC), yeast and moulds (YM), coliforms, Escherichia coli (E. coli), presumptive Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), coagulase positive staphylococci, Salmonella spp., and Listeria spp., especially Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The results of the microbiological examinations showed that 45 (56.25%) and 2 (2.5%) of the SS samples; 55 (68.75%) and 6 (7.5%) of the CS samples; 55 (91.6%) and 14 (23.3%) of the Mix+ samples, and 36 (72%) and 4 (8%) of the Mix- samples were unsuitable for consumption due to high levels of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and presumptive B. cereus, respectively. The results also showed that out of a total of 270 samples, 8 (2.96%) were found to be contaminated with Listeria species; L. monocytogenes (0.37%), Listeria ivanovii (1.85%), Listeria grayi (0.37%), Listeria seeligeri (0.37%). E. coli contamination was found in the CS and Mix- groups at incidences of 7.5% and 4.0%, respectively. Salmonella spp. were not detected in any of the sandwich samples investigated. The high numbers of coliforms and AMC (up to ≥106 cfu g-1) obtained from the examinations also indicated that hygienic conditions of the processed sandwiches were very poor. The results show that the sandwiches examined in this study were of great public health concern.

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Microbiological quality , public health , ready to eat food , sandwich.

Veterinary Journal of Ankara University

198