Microbial Quality, Risk Analysis, and Molecular Detection of Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp. in Fresh Raw Beef Sold in Ho Central Market, Ghana.

Beef is a prominent dietary component in many developing countries, including Ghana, due to its rich protein, energy, and fat contents. However, it has become a significant source of foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella, which can lead to severe gastrointestinal infections. This study investigated food hygiene practices and the microbial safety of beef sold at the Ho Central Market in Ghana. Sixty-three beef handlers and processing facilities in 25 shops were conveniently sampled using a structured questionnaire. Twelve beef samples were also collected in duplicates at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. from the market and subjected to microbial analyses using standard procedures (aerobic plate count [NMKL No. 86, 2013], coagulase-positive staphylococci [NMKL No. 66, 5th Ed., 2009], Enterobacteriaceae [NMKL 144, 2005], E. coli O157 [NMKL 125, 2005], and Salmonella [NMKL No. 71, 1999]). The data collected were analyzed using SPSS Version 22. The food hygiene protocol observation study revealed that food safety and hygiene standards were compromised. However, personal hygiene practices like wearing suitable PPE (100%), using standard protocols for handwashing (100%), and removing pieces of jewelry before processing (92%) were observed. For microbial analyses, the results showed that almost all the beef samples were highly contaminated under each indicator, except the sample from shade Vendor 1 at 9:00 a.m., which recorded Enterobacteriaceae (3.18 ± 5.00) and E. coli (2.68 ± 4.04) below Ghana's Food and Drug Authority thresholds. While almost all the samples (75%) were free from E. coli O157, the Salmonella species contaminated about 75% of the samples. However, there are no statistical differences between the samples collected at 9:00 a.m. and those at 3:00 p.m. (p > 0.05). The presence of high microbial counts, E. coli O157, and Salmonella in beef samples could be attributed to inadequate and substandard infrastructure. Hence, effective food safety measures and regular monitoring are imperative to ensure the safety of beef products and protect public health.