Prevalence, Serotypes, and Antimicrobial Resistance of Salmonella Species in Ready-to-Eat Foods in Erbil, Iraq.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods including sandwiches, pastries, shawarma, and burgers are widely consumed and may potentially increase the risk of foodborne infections. This study investigated the prevalence, serovar diversity, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Salmonella spp. in RTE foods collected between January and June 2024 from street vendors and restaurants across Erbil, Iraq. A total of 350, including 85 sandwiches, 75 pastries, 95 shawarma, and 95 burgers obtained from 115 cafeteria, 120 street vendors, and 115 restaurants were analyzed. Salmonella was detected in 7.1% (n = 25) of samples, with a high contamination in shawarma (8.4%; n = 95), followed by sandwiches (7.1%; n = 85), pastries (6.7%; n = 75), and burgers (6.3%; n = 95). Street vendors exhibited a higher (9.2%; n = 120) contamination rate compared to the cafeteria (6.9%; n = 115) and restaurants (5.2%; n = 115). Among 25 Salmonella isolates, 10 serotypes were identified, with S. Anatum (20%) and S. Typhimurium (16%) being the most prevalent. All isolates were susceptible to colistin, cefadroxil, and gentamicin, while showing high resistance to streptomycin (52%) and levofloxacin (48%). Contamination peaked during the warmer months, particularly in June (15.4%) and May (11.5%), when compared to the other sampling months. These findings highlight significant food safety concerns related to Salmonella contamination and AMR in RTE foods, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced hygiene practices and regulatory oversight especially among street vendors.