Evaluation of Mould Species in Cold Sliced Meat Products and their Public Health Hazard

This study investigated 40 samples, 20 of each luncheon and Basterma randomly collected from different retail shops in Ismailia governorate for evaluation of mould species contamination. The results showed 16(80%), and 14(70%) positive samples in luncheon, and Basterma respectively. The total mould counts were 5.78x104 and 6.95x103 cfu for luncheon, and Basterma, respectively. with mean values of 0, 4.48, 2.18a ±0.32 and 0, 2.85, 1.5a ± 0.25 in luncheon and Basterma respectively. Six mould genera from both products were identified: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Cladosporium and Rhizopus with the following count ,and percent 5.664x104 (98%) , 5.4x102 (0.93%),2.3x102 (0.39%), 2.2x102 (0.38%) , 1.7x102 (0.3%) respectively in sliced Egyptian Luncheon samples while in Basterma samples there were 4.18x103 (60%) , 103 (14.4%), 6.50x102 (9.4%), 5.20x102 (7.5%), 4x102 (5.8%) , 2x102 (2.9%) . Furthermore, the genus Aspergillus was further identified, in luncheon to: A. niger van Tieghem, A. flavus Link, A. flavus var. Columnaris, n.var ,and in Basterma: A. niger van Tieghem, A. flavus Link A. parasiticus speare and A. flavus var. Columnaris, n.var. 4x103 Aflatoxin-producing A. flavus Link were detected in luncheon, in which 9.8x102 species produced B1(24.5%), 4.4x102 B2 (11%),1.64x103 G1 (41%) ,and 9.4x102 G2 (23.5%) were identified, and 5x102 Aflatoxin-producing A. flavus Link were detected in Basterma, in which 1.13x102 species produced B1(22.6%),1.36x102 B2(27.2%),1.4x102 G1(28%)and 1.11x102 G2(22.2%) were identified and 3.2x102 Aflatoxin-producing A. parasiticus Speare were detected in Basterma, in which 90 species produced B1(28.13%),66 B2(20.63%),95 G1(29.68%)and 69 G2(21.56%) .The presence of these mould genera indicates substandard product quality and underscores the potential health risks associated with their contamination, particularly given that some isolated species are established aflatoxin producers.