Microbiological evaluation of edible bovine by-products (intestine, lung, rumen meat, head
flesh, heart, tongue, kidney and liver) commonly consumed in Assiut city, Egypt were
determined by enumerating total viable bacterial count (TVBC), total enterobacteriacae
count, yeast and mold contaminants and determine the presence of Salmonella spp. and E.
coli O157:H7 organisms. The obtained results showed that the mean TVBC of intestine,
lung, rumen meat, head flesh, heart, tongue, kidney and liver were 9×106, 14×106, 6×107,
8×107, 7×106, 9×106, 7×106 and 5×106 cfu/g, respectively. While, the mean
enterobacteriacae count of intestine, lung, rumen meat, head flesh, heart, tongue, kidney
and liver were 3×106, 3 ×106, 3×107, 4×106, 7×105, 3×106, 3×106 and 3×106 cfu/g,
respectively. Furthermore, the mean total fungal count of intestine, lung, rumen meat, head
flesh, heart, tongue, kidney and liver were 3×104, 8×104, 2×104, 6×104, 1×104, 7×104,
9×105 and 8×104 cfu/g, respectively. Two S. enteritidis could be isolated from intestine
and lung samples. One isolate of S. typhimurium was detected in intestinal sample. E. coli
157:H7 contamination was found in intestine, lung, rumen meat and head flesh,
respectively. The results of this study show that edible bovine by-products are crosscontaminated
by E. coli 0157:H7, S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium and thus may pose
potential risk for public health. It is recommended that hygiene improvements are needed
in the establishments selling edible bovine by-products to protect public health.