Bacteriological quality of meat traded in selected wet markets in the Province of Isabela, Philippines

Abstract Food-borne illness is a global issue and contamination is a constant threat to food safety. Contamination of food, particularly meat, is widespread due to inadequate handling and low adoption of hygienic practices particularly in lower-income countries. The practice of hanging meat in an open stall further exposes the product to contamination. A bacteriological study was undertaken in three selected wet markets in the Province of Isabela, Philippines to investigate the effect of selling meat in open stalls on the quality of meat such as beef and chicken. Meat samples were collected at different purchasing time (6:00, 9:00 in the morning, 12:00 noon and 3:00 in the afternoon) were subjected to laboratory analysis. The meat’s temperature and pH were recorded, change in color was observed, and growth of microorganisms through total viable count (TVC) were collected. All data obtained was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine the effect. In both samples and in all study sites, it was noted that the temperature and pH level vary significantly (P