Abstract
Meatball performed by ground beef meat of good quality and all processing must be performed under proper sanitary conditions, any defect in these steps may cause transfer of microorganisms and increasing the microbiological load. A total of 60 Meatball samples; about 450g/each, packaged in polyvinyl chloride film, were collected from different retail in Ismailia province markets was serially diluted and aseptically cultivated for the total aerobic count, for Enterobacteriaceae Count and for Staphylococcal aureus count. The bacteriological incidence of the examined beef meatball samples declared 100% of the examined meatball samples were containing (Aerobic microorganisms and Enterobacteriacae spp.) while the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus were about (30/60) 50% of the total examined samples. The mean value of total aerobic counts was initiated by 2.7x105 ± 1.4x105 with a minimum value, the mean value may reach to 4.9x108 ± 2.4x108 cfu/g after 9 days stored at 4oC. The mean values of Enterobacteriaceae spp. initially were about 2.2x104 ±5.5x104 cfu/g which reached to 7x105 ± 3.3x105 cfu/g which increased gradually to reach to 6.7x105±3.3x104 after 9 days of refrigeration. The mean value of total Staphylococcus aurous counts was initiated by 2.3x104 ±3.7x104 cfu/g which reached to 6.9x106 ±1.5x106 cfu/g after 9 days of refrigeration. The high contamination rate found in this study could be attributed to poor hygiene during handling and processing of beef meatball.

Key words: Enterobacteriaceae species, Staphylococcus aureus, total aerobic count, Kofta, food processing, ready to eat meat.