Status of Food Safety Due to Bacterial Contaminants of Poultry Meat and Poultry Products in Khartoum State

The bacterial contaminants of poultry (Meat, Egg and poultry products) were investigated in three towns in Khartoum State (Khartoum, Khartoum North and Omdurman) to estimate the level of their safety for human consumption. The study was conducted within the period August 2011 – August 2013. A total 849 samples were collected from which 850 bacterial species were recovered. Of which 77.5% species were isolated from meat, 20.2% from eggs and 2.2% from processed products. From Khartoum town 293 bacterial species were recovered, Khartoum North 266 and from Omdurman 291 bacteria were isolated. E. coli represented the highest contaminants in Khartoum state with prevalence of 34.6% followed by Proteus spp. 32.2%, then Citrobacter spp. 13.5% and lastly Salmonella spp. 10.4%. Other bacteria of low incidence were also detected including Klebsiella spp. 5.9%, Shigella spp. 3.4% Serratia spp. 3.2% Pseudomonas spp. 2.2%, Enterobacteria spp. 1.3%, Yersinia spp. 0.7%, Vibrio spp. 0.7%, Streptococcus spp. 0.5%, Staphylococcus spp. 0.4% and Aeromonas spp. 0.1%. These findings highlighted and reflected the magnitude of bacterial contaminants of poultry meat, egg and products in Khartoum state specially most of them have public health impact. More epidemiological surveillance throughout the poultry productions chain allover Sudan with other related components is essentially needed. Well planned research and good hygienic practices will help in the control of zoonotic bacteria of poultry meat and products as well as in the implementation of eradication programme.