Assessment of microbial quality and heavy metal levels of raw cattle hide and meat sold at retail outlets in Tarkwa, Ghana

A total of 384 swab samples were taken from beef, knives, wooden boards, weighing scales, shop floor as well as workers hands to assess the microbial quality of raw beef and its environmental equipment as well as the concentration of heavy metals in cattle hides available at retail outlets in the Tarkwa Municipality. Averagely 2.55±0.27 (log10 cfu/cm²), 2.06±0.22 (log10 cfu/cm²), and 1.57±0.17 (log10 cfu/cm²) of total viable count (TVC), total coliform count (TCC) and total Staphylococcal Counts (TSC) were recorded respectively samples from the retail outlets. There was significant microbial growth difference (p < 0.05) across the various retail sale environments. Microbial loads in the fresh swab sample (TVC: 1.36±0.21 (log10 cfu/cm²), TCC: 1.10±0.16 (log10 cfu/cm²), TSC: 0.87±0.13 (log10 cfu/cm²), were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than the delayed swab samples at 3.74±0.37 (log10 cfu/cm²), 3.02±0.30 (log10 cfu/cm²) and 2.28±0.24 (log10 cfu/cm²) respectively. Microorganisms isolated from beef and the surrounding environment included Staphylococcus spp., Salmonella, Streptococcus spp., Escherichia coli. Enterobacter spp and Klebsiella spp. The average concentrations of all heavy metal contents in hides recorded were lower than the maximum permissible limit except for Lead (Pb). The results showed that the type of processing method had a significant effect on the levels of heavy metal content recorded in hide. Although there were no significant difference (p > 0.05), hide processed with scrap tyre recorded the highest level of heavy metal concentration compared to fire wood-singed.