A study of cross-contamination of foodborne pathogens on the kitchen surfaces

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the ability microorganisms to cross-contaminate other sites and surfaces during chicken preparation and to evaluate the susceptibility of the isolated foodborne pathogens, E. coli, Salmonella spp. and S. aureus toward commercial antimicrobial agents and commercial antibacterial products sold in the local market. A total of 36 isolates were collected from six sampling sites before and after the chicken preparation. The enumeration of the bacteria from the sampling sites showed a significant change in the mean total plate counts (TPC) of the isolates before and after the chicken preparation. These results emphasized that cross-contamination occurred around the sampling sites during the preparation of the chicken. Isolation and identification of the three foodborne pathogens, E. coli, Salmonella spp. and S. aureus were carried out on its respectively selective and differential media. The presumptive identified foodborne pathogens were confirmed as E. coli, Salmonella spp. and S. aureus according to their microscopic and biochemical characteristics. The sensitivity of the three foodborne pathogens isolated from the sampling sites toward four different commercial antimicrobial agents and five commercial antibacterial products were carried out using the disc diffusion method. The foodborne pathogens isolated showed variable susceptibility towards the commercial antimicrobial agents tested. Isolated E. coli showed highest susceptibility towards Ampicillin Trihydrate while Salmonella spp. showed highest susceptibility towards Tetracycline hydrochloride. In the other hands, S. aureus showed the highest sensitivity on Kanamycin Sulfate. The susceptibility testing of the pathogens on the commercial antibacterial products showed that the most effective product in decontaminating the pathogen was the product from Clorox