Assessment of Bacteria and Parasite Contamination of Dried Sliced Beef (Kilishi) Sold within Birnin Kebbi Metropolis, Kebbi State, Northern Nigeria

Kilishi is a version of jerky that originated in Hausa land Nigeria. It is made from deboned cow, sheep or goat meat. The dried sliced beef (kilishi) is often left open in a basin thereby exposing it to flies, dust and other effects of the environment by so doing the product can be contaminated. This study was carried out to investigate the bacteria and parasite contaminants of dried slice beef (kilishi) sold in different locations within Birnin Kebbi metropolis. The samples were analyzed using pour plate method. The bacterial species were characterized and identified on the basis of their colonial morphology; gram’s staining reaction and biochemical characteristics. The protozoans and helminthes cyst/eggs morphology were identified using microscopy techniques. The total bacteria plate count for each sample ranges from the highest (8x109) to the lowest (3.5x103) CFU/g from Birnin Kebbi Kalgo, Jega and Aliero samples respectively. The organisms isolated include; Staphylococcus aureus (35.2%), Escherichia coli showed 30(21.1%) percentage of occurrence, Bacillus species occurred 17(12%) Klebsiella spp 16(11.3%), Pseudomonas spp 13(9.2%), Shigella spp 10(7.04%) and the least was P. vulgaris 6(4.2%). The kilishi meat product was also contaminated with some Protozoans and helminthes contaminants which include; Acaris lumbricoides (14.2%), Entamoeba histolytica (35%), Girdia lambila (42.8%), and Taenia spp. (7.1%). It was concluded that the high bacteria count and frequency of isolates from the kilishi samples tested is an indication of high contamination of the meat by potential pathogens due to poor handling and sanitary conditions which may pose a potential source of food borne diseases.