Microbiological quality of fresh chicken sausages marketed in the Federal District, Brazil

Fresh sausages are one of the meat products most consumed by the Brazilian population due to their affordable price. This study evaluated the microbiological quality of fresh chicken sausages marketed in the Federal District. The analyzes performed were: total count of mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, determination of total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms, count of Staphylococcus aureus and research of Salmonella spp. The results showed that of the 16 samples of chicken sausage analyzed, 10 samples (62.5%) were unfit for consumption according to Brazilian legislation, with 9 samples (56.3%) showing a high count of mesophilic microorganisms (>6.0 log CFU / g) and 4 samples (25.0%) were contaminated with Salmonella spp. The bacteria Salmonella spp. were genetically confirmed by detection of the Inva gene by PCR. Of the 16 samples of chicken sausage analyzed in this study, 9 samples (56.3%) were contaminated by S. aureus bacteria (confirmed genetically through the detection of Nuc gene by PCR), and 3 samples (18.8%) presented high count of these bacteria (3.9-4.0 log CFU/g). Thus, the use of contaminated raw materials, the lack of hygiene during processing and the inadequate storage of fresh sausages compromises their quality and may pose a risk to consumer health, as the presence of pathogenic bacteria can lead to food-borne diseases.