Evaluation of Staphylococcus Aureus, Escherichia Coli, and Salmonella Contamination in Sausages and Bologna Sold in Tehran City, Iran

 Sausages and bologna are heat-treated products whose chemical composition is based on red meat and chicken. These products are considered ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, and because some of them use chicken paste or meat paste, they are highly susceptible to bacterial contamination. This study aimed to evaluate the contamination of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella in sausages and bologna offered in Tehran city.

100 samples, including 50 sausages and 50 meat Bologna, were sampled from supply centers in a simple random manner and transferred to the food quality control and health laboratory. Different microbial culture tests were used to search for target microorganisms. All experiments were performed under sterile conditions.

The results showed that the level of contamination in sausages and bologna in the present study was higher than the national standard of Iran. In the studied sausages, 14 samples out of 50 samples and in bologna, 20 samples out of 50 samples were found to be contaminated with Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus microorganisms.

 Considering the risks that pathogenic microorganisms cause for humans, it is recommended to minimize the use of sausages and Bologna and if it is used, it should be well placed in heat treatments to minimize the risk of microbial contamination.