Isolation and identification of Escherichia Coli from raw meat: At selected export abattoirs and retail houses in Bishoftu Town, Ethiopia

Raw meat is one of the commonly consumed traditional diets in Ethiopia. However, unhygienic processing and distribution practices are risky for contamination of meat leading to human infection. Consumption of meat contaminated by Escherichia coli causes a serious illness and even death to affected individuals. This cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2021 to September 2021 at Abyssinya export abattoir, ELFORA Export Abattoir, and eighteen retail houses in Bishoftu town to isolate and identify Escherichia coli from beef and shoat meat. The samples were transported to a microbiology laboratory and, isolation and identification of an organism were performed based on techniques recommended by the international organization for standardization (ISO-16654: 2001) through morphological, cultural, and biochemical characteristics.The research may help improve the knowledge and practices of slaughterhouse and retail workers regarding safe meat handling and distribution, and may have important implications for the prevention and control of foodborne infections.