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Page No. : 31-37

ABSTRACT

Contamination of foods with Salmonella is a major public health threat resulting in foodborne diseases and product loss. Foods of bovine origin are perishable and are predisposed to be contaminated during processing, transportation and storage. The present study was undertaken to ascertain the occurrence of invasive salmonella Typhimurium in foods of bovine origin using culture and molecular methods. A total of 600 samples of raw milk, raw beef, beef cutlet and beef curry from retail outlets were collected from Wayanad district, Kerala. Samples were screened for salmonella spp using cultural and molecular techniques by amplification of invA gene. Twenty samples were positive for Salmonella spp. both by PCR and culture method, resulting in an overall prevalence rate of 3.33%. All the isolates were serotyped as Salmonella Typhimurium. The isolates of Salmonella obtained from different types of samples were 100% sensitive to five antibiotics viz., chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole, doxycycline hydrochloride, netillin and ofloxacin and 100% resistant to oxacillin. Hence, the level of contamination as observed in some samples is not acceptable and may result in foodborne Salmonellosis.

Keywords: Beef curry, beef cutlet, raw beef, raw milk, Salmonella