Listeria spp. detected in street-vended ready-to-eat foods by plate count method.
Food group(s)
Food item(s)a
No. of samples containing listeria spp. (%)
No. of samples containing L. monocytogens (%)
Prevalence of L. monocytogens in Listeria spp. (expressed in %)
Meat products
Shawarma
b(1)8 (33)
<4>5 (21)
63
Luncheon
(1)6 (25)
3 (12)
50
Basturma
(1)3 (13)
2 (8)
66
Liver
4 (17)
2 (8)
50
Sausage
9 (38)
<4>5 (21)
56
Minced meat
10 (42)
<5>6 (25)
60
Subtotal
40 (28)
23 (16)
58
Poultry products
Chicken
7 (29)
<4>4 (17)
57
Luncheon
6 (25)
4 (17)
66
Shawarma
5 (21)
3 (12)
60
Boiled eggs
2 (8)
0 (0)
0
Fried eggs
3 (13)
0 (0)
0
Subtotal
23 (19)
11 (9)
48
Seafood products
Shrimp
(1)8 (33)
<5>5 (21)
63
Fried fish
4 (17)
0 (0)
0
Sepia
7 (29)
5 (21)
71
Salmon
0 (0)
0 (0)
0
Tuna
0 (0)
0 (0)
0
Subtotal
19 (16)
10 (8)
53
Dairy products
Hard cheese
(1)9 (38)
<3>6 (25)
67
White soft cheese
7 (29)
<1>5 (21)
71%
Processed cheese
0 (0)
0 (0)
0
Cream and Honey
9 (38)
6 (25)
67%
Ice cream
2 (8)
0 (0)
0
Subtotal
27 (23)
17 (14)
63
Plant products
Ful Medames
3 (13)
0 (0)
0
Falafel
5 (21)
3 (12)
60
Koshary
(2)20 (83)
<12>14 (58)
70
Subtotal
28 (39)
17 (24)
61
Grand total
137 (24)
78 (14)
38
aTotal 24 samples from each food item were examined.
b( )Number of samples positive for the presence of Listeria spp. only after enrichment. < >Number of samples containing L. monocytogens of ≥103 CFU/g.
