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Meat retail conditions within the establishments of Kigali city (Rwanda): bacteriological quality and risk factors for Salmonella occurrence

Tropical Animal Health and Production volume 50, pages 537–546 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Meat constitutes one of the major vehicles for human foodborne infections. This study aimed to assess the retail conditions and to determine the microbiological quality and safety of meat retailed within the establishments of Kigali (Rwanda). A questionnaire survey was carried out in 150 retail outlets to characterise meat retail conditions. Additionally, 270 retail meat samples were analysed for the enumeration of hygiene indicator bacteria (total mesophilic bacteria and Escherichia coli) and for the qualitative detection of Salmonella, using conventional culture methods. The results revealed that beef was the predominant meat sold within the retail premises of Kigali city, while meat from non-bovine animal species was mainly sold in large establishments. Salmonella was detected in 19.6% of all the retailed meat samples evaluated, whereas the mean loads for total mesophilic bacteria and E. coli were 7.3 and 3.5 log cfu/g, respectively. Three factors, namely the temperature conditions of the meat under retail, the cleanability of the used meat cutting boards, and the training of personnel in hygienic meat handling practices, were found to be significantly (p ≤ 0.05) associated with the risk of Salmonella occurrence in the retailed meat. The findings from this study highlight the need for improvements in hygienic meat handling practices, particularly, in small and medium meat retail establishments in Kigali.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the support received from the University of Rwanda regarding the provision of laboratory facilities. The authors are also grateful to the Kigali city local authorities (Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Nyarugenge districts), for providing information on registered meat retail establishments in Kigali. The participation of managers and personnel of meat retail establishments in Kigali, in this study, is gratefully appreciated.

Funding

The present study was carried out, thanks to the financial support of the Rwandan Ministry of Education, through the Rwanda Education Board.

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Affiliations

  1. Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech, Analysis Quality and Risk Unit, Laboratory of Agro-food Quality and Safety, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Eugène Niyonzima & Marianne Sindic

  2. College of Agriculture Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, School of Food Science and Technology, Food Safety and Quality Management Department, University of Rwanda, Avenue de l’armée, P.O. Box 3900, Kigali, Rwanda

    Eugène Niyonzima, Martin Patrick Ongol & Anastase Kimonyo

  3. Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Applied Statistics, Computer Science and Modeling Unit, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Yves Brostaux

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal & Health (FARAH), Food Science Department, Microbiology Section, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée 2, Avenue de Cureghem 10, B-4000, Liège, Belgium

    Nicolas Korsak & Georges Daube

Authors
  1. Eugène Niyonzima
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  2. Martin Patrick Ongol
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  3. Yves Brostaux
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  4. Nicolas Korsak
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  5. Georges Daube
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  6. Anastase Kimonyo
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  7. Marianne Sindic
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eugène Niyonzima.

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The authors declare that all procedures involving human participants performed in this study have been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Niyonzima, E., Ongol, M.P., Brostaux, Y. et al. Meat retail conditions within the establishments of Kigali city (Rwanda): bacteriological quality and risk factors for Salmonella occurrence. Trop Anim Health Prod 50, 537–546 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1466-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1466-6

Keywords

  • Meat
  • Retail conditions
  • Salmonella
  • Hygiene indicator bacteria
  • Risk factors
  • Rwanda