RISK ASSESSMENT OF HEAT TREATED STREET VENDED EDIBLE OFFALS

Thirty sixth samples of heat treated meat organs and edible viscera were collected from street ven- dors in Cairo and Giza. Six samples from each heart, liver, rice sausage, meat Sausage, tripes and lung were collected and tested bacteriologically. The least mean aerobic plate count was found in tripe samples while the highest one was detected in liver and meat sausage. The highest Enterobacteriaceae count was in the lung samples while the lowest one was in the tripe ones.

coli could be isolated from liver, rice sausage, tripe and lung. Aerobic spore-formers were found in all samples. The lowest mean count was 8 x 10²/g ±2 x 10² in heart samples, while the highest one was 10⁵/g ±3x10⁴ in meat Sausage. No S. aureus or salmonella or shigella could be detected. Unacceptable samples of heart, liver, rice sau- Sage, meat sausage, tripe and lung were found in the following percentages: 16.7, 100, 83.3, 100, 50 and 83.3% respectively. Suggestive measures for improving street vended foods are mentioned.