Hygienic Status of Modern Animal Slaughterhouse in Sulaymaniyah Province, Iraq

Ensuring meat hygiene is critical for public health, particularly in resource-limited settings where infrastructure and safety standards are suboptimal. This study aimed to assess the hygienic status and microbial contamination at the modern slaughterhouse in Sulaymaniyah Province, Iraq, with a focus on identifying E. coli and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains. Over a six-month period, 250 samples were collected from various critical points, including carcasses, tools, water, and workers' hands. Hygienic practices were evaluated across 16 standard indicators. Microbiological analyses involved, Total bacterial count, conventional culturing, biochemical identification using the VITEK® 2 system, and ESBL screening. The hygienic evaluation revealed severe deficiencies, with 15 out of 16 criteria rated as unsatisfactory. E. coli was detected in 94.86% of all samples, with 100% positivity in samples from workers’ hands, knives, and inner carcass surfaces. Chi-square analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in E. coli presence across most sample types (p = 0.077), although water samples showed significantly lower contamination rates (p = 0.002). Total bacterial count was significantly reduced post-washing (p < 0.05), yet residual contamination remained high. ESBL-producing E. coli was found in 186 of 237 isolates (68.13%), with the highest prevalence in outer carcasses (96.2%), showing a significant distribution across sample sources (p < 0.05). These findings highlight critical lapses in hygiene and the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli, underscoring the urgent need for policy interventions. Enhanced sanitation practices, and staff training are essential to mitigate public health risks and align practices with international food safety standards.