MICROBIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF PIZZA WITH SPECIAL CONCERN TO FOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS

Thirty samples of pizza randomly collected from the examined samples in percentages ranged from different restaurants and pastries in Cairo and Giza governorates were investigated to evaluate their microbiological quality. The obtained results indicated that the mean Aerobic plate,  Enterobacteriaceae, Aerobic sporeformers, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococci, Staph. aureus, Enterococci, Pseudomonas, Acromonas, Coliforms, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and Yeast & Mold counts per gram were 1.5x105, 2x10*, 6.1x10?, 2.1x107, 2.9x10°, 6.1x102 3.2x104, 2.4x103, 1.2x102, 9.8x107, 1x10* 
and 6.5x10? respectively. Pizza was found to be contaminated with newly emerging food-borne pathogens such as Aeromonas hydrophila, as well as Salmonella species. Escherichia coli, Enterobacter apglomerans, E. coloacae, Citrobacter diversus,C.  freundii, Klebsiella) ozaenae and  K. rhinoschleromata were isolated in percentage ranged from 3.3 to 20%. However, neither Listeria monocytogenes nor Yersinia production depends on the individual standard
enterocolitica could be isolated from the examined samples. Different genera of molds including; Aspergillus Penicillum, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Mucor,Fusarium and Scopulariopsis were isoalted from the examined samples in percentages ranged from 0.94 to 31.13%. The public health hazards of the isolated as well as suggested control measures were fully discussed in order to improve the quality of pizza