A study on Poor Practices and Assessment of Microbial Contamination of Poultry Meat in Slaughterhouses in the City of Al-Bayda, Libya.
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate several private slaughterhouses in the city of Al-Bayda, Libya, focusing on their hygiene and disinfection practices during slaughter and processing. It also aimed to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the microbial quality of poultry meat intended for retail sale. Microbiological analysis was performed on approximately 60 different poultry carcasses, including breast, wings, and skin, from six slaughterhouses geographically distributed in Al-Bayda and its suburbs. The analysis included the identification of faecal coliform bacteria, aerobic bacteria, and Salmonella, which was identified as the most dangerous type. All tests were conducted according to the standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the FAO at the Central Laboratory of Animal Health in Benghazi. The results showed two categories: the first category, representing 16.67%, demonstrated good practices during slaughter and processing, with efficient hygiene and disinfection. The second category, representing 83.3%, represented carcasses that were subjected to poor practices during processing, with rates of 50% and 46.66%, respectively. The levels of faecal coliform bacteria, staphylococci, and aerobic mesobacteria were approximately 5.0 log⁵ CFU/g, 2.18 log⁵ CFU/g, and 1.08 log⁵ CFU/g, respectively. These results, based on statistical analysis, demonstrate a significant impact of poor slaughtering and processing practices. Therefore, all public health and food safety organizations recommend the implementation of HACCP and Hazard Analysis (HACCP) systems, particularly for meat and meat products.
DOI: 10.71147/xy2gmw94
Institution: Omar Al-Mukhtar University
Language: English
Topic: Food Safety and Hygiene
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204583656