Prevalence of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157 in meat and meat products consumed in Istanbul

The present study was conducted to investigate the incidence of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157 in 340 samples of meat and meat products (205 ground beef, 50 raw beef and 85 sausages) collected from producers and retailers in Istanbul. Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157 analyses were performed acoording to ISO standarts, while Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed according to FDA methods. Salmonella spp. was detected in 1.18% samples. All samples were negative for L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157. The results indicate that meat and meat products may be contaminated by pathogens which can cause serious public health problems. Furthermore, the essential precautions should be undertaken to ensure improving the quality of production technology.