I. Kalalou1, I. Zerdani2 and M. Faid3
1Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Ibn Toufail University, BP 133 Kénitra, Morocco
2Department of Biology, Sciences Faculty Ben Msik, Hassan II–Mohammedia University, Casablanca, Morocco
3Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Hassan II, Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary,
PO Box 6202, Rabat-Institute, Morocco
ABSTRACT
In this study, samples of camel meat (Camelus dromedarius) were collected from 2 slaughterhouses. All the samples were taken from carcasses after set up of the rigor mortis, the same day they are slaughtered. Samples were analysed for their microbiological characteristics, which included Standard Plate Count (SPC), Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci, staphylococci, Salmonella spp, sulphite-reducing Clostridium. Results showed that the microbial profiles were relatively low for all the micro-organisms studied. The average SPC was 7.17x 104 cfu/g, coliform numbers ranged from less than 10 to 5x104 cfu/g. Enterococci reached an average of 3.84x103. Staphylococci were the most abundant micro-organisms in the product and ranged from 110 cfu/g to 2.4x104 cfu/g. Salmonella was not detected in any sample. 5.88% of the staphylococci isolates revealed DNAse positive and phosphatase positive. Fifty three per cent of the coliforms were identified as Klebsiela spp/Enterobacter spp, 31% as E.coli and 3% as Citrobacter spp.
Key words: Camel, meat, microbiology, quality
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