Evaluación microbiológica de la carne vacuna que se expende en mercados, tercenas y supermercados de la ciudad de El Coca.

Abstract

Beef is considered a healthy, nutritionally complete food, given its high content of proteins of high biological value, as well as vitamins and minerals. One of the great and serious problems from the point of view of food safety is foodborne diseases (FBD) caused by the consumption of food and water contaminated with microorganisms. This implies that in some cases this is done without the strictest sanitary hygienic standards, making it easier for these foods to be kept in inadequate conditions that favor the arrival of infectious agents and the exaggerated proliferation of microorganisms that become a global health problem. With this objective in mind, a study was undertaken to evaluate the microbiological quality of beef sold in markets, tertiary markets, and supermarkets in the city of El Coca. For this purpose, NTE INEN 776 and NTE INEN-ISO 2859-2 standards were followed; 32 samples were analyzed using techniques such as Petrifilm plates and plate counting to identify bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Through this research the following results were obtained: 87.5 percent (24 samples) were negative, and 12.5 percent (8 samples) were positive for Escherichia coli, while 100 percent of the samples analyzed were negative for the analysis of Salmonella spp. It is concluded in this first study conducted in El Coca city, that this gram-negative bacteria was not detected in meats from markets, tertiary markets and supermarkets. The results obtained from this research work were shared with a total of 50 people, 32 of whom were the owners of the slaughterhouses, as well as slaughterhouse operators and the general public.