Detection of C. perfringens toxins in vacuum packaged meat products by using polymerase chain reaction

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Food Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University

2 Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki, Giza

3 Animal Health Research Institute, Benha

Abstract

A total of 100 random samples of vacuum packaged meat products represented by sausage ̦ luncheon ̦
frunkfurter and salami (25 of each) were collected from different supermarkets in Cairo, Giza and
Kalyobia governments. The prevalence of total anaerobes was 84%with account ranged between<10and
5.38 with a mean 3.58±0.36 for sausage, 56% with account ranged between<10and 3.92 with a mean
value 1.76±0.33 for salami total anaerobes in and 60% with account ranged between <10 and 5.73 with
a mean 2.55±0.44for luncheon. The incidence of Clostridia perfringens isolated from the examined
samples of vacuum packaged salami, sausage, luncheon and frunkfurter was 44%, 80%, 32% and 0%
respectively. The enterotoxins of Clostridia perfringens isolated from the examined meat products by
traditional methods were type A and type C. Agarose gel electrophoresis of multiplex PCR of specific
primers for characterization of enterotoxins (A, C & D) of C. perfringens indicated that sausage had
enterotoxin type A and enterotoxin type C, luncheon had enterotoxin type A, enterotoxin type C and
enterotoxin D, however salami had enterotoxin type A and type D

Keywords