Abstract: The prevalence of Listeria species in retail raw animal food products covering most Tripoli city in Libya were studied with testing of 180 samples of dairy, meat and their products from September 2015 to May 2016. Among all investigated samples 79 (43.8%) tested positive for Listeria spp, 32 (40%) samples were positive from different dairy products (7 laben, 9 raw cow’s milk, 8 Ricotta cheese, 8 Maassora cheese) and 47 (47%) samples from various meat and its products (9 chicken meat, 12 chicken burger, 3 raw beef, 12 beef burger, 11 beef sausage). A total of 158 isolates were analyzed and confirmed by biochemical characterization and hemolysis on sheep blood agar which revealed that 22 (13.9%) isolates were Listeria welshimeri, 54 (34.2%) were L. murrayi, 12 (7.6%) were identified as L. grayi, 23 (14.6%) were L. momcytogenes and 47 (29.7%) were L. innocua. Neither L. ivanovii nor L. seeligeri were detected. Listeria spp. were isolated as follows: 17 (10.8%) from raw milk, 10 (6.3%) Laben, 12 (7.6%) Massora cheese, 25 (15.8%) chicken meat, 41 (25.9%) raw beef, 11 (7%) beef burger. While 14 (8.7%) was isolated from Ricotta cheese, chicken burger and beef sausage. The data obtained in this study provides useful information for assessment of the possible risk posed to Libyan consumers and will have a significant public health impact in Libya. This is the first study reporting the occurrence and distribution of Listeria spp. in retail dairy, meat and their products purchased in Tripoli city, Libya.
Keywords: Listeria spp., Milk, Dairy Products, Meat, Meat products, Libya.
Title: Prevalence of Listeria spp. among Dairy, Meat and their Products Marketed in Tripoli, Libya
Author: Hesham, T. Naas, Hanan, L. Eshamah, Fathi, A. Tabal, Gehan, A. Elshrif, Salem, F. Abureema
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
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