Microbial Contaminants in Sri Lankan Poultry, Fish and Meat: A Review of Prevalence and Implications for Food Safety

Abstract

Microbial contamination of food poses significant public health risks globally, which can lead to foodborne illnesses. In Sri Lanka, poultry, fish, and other types of meat are consumed by the majority in the country. Hence, proper food safety is crucial to minimize microbial contamination and thereby reduce the occurrence of foodborne illnesses. This review aims to discuss and summarize existing literature on the common types of microbial contaminants found in poultry, fish, and meat products sold in Sri Lanka. While numerous studies have addressed microbial contamination in individual food categories in different countries, there remains a lack of comparative analysis across different product types and regions. This review will contribute to bridge that research gap by by synthesizing existing data to highlight patterns, emerging threats and significantly enhance understanding of possible microbial contaminants in these products and take necessary precautions to ensure food safety. The review examines the common types of microbial contaminants found in chicken meat, eggs, fish, and other meat and meat-based products. Additionally, it provides an overview of the prevalence of microbial contaminants associated with these foods. All existing studies freely available in online databases and journals are included in this review. The review reveals that among the microbial contaminants; Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli tend to contaminate chicken more compared to other microorganisms. In Fish, E. coli is the most prevalent microbial contaminant, while in shrimps it's Vibrio spp. Eggs were the least found to be contaminated, but when contaminated, Salmonella spp. is the common microbial contaminant. Therefore, it is needed to strengthen public awareness of having proper storage and proper food safety measures to minimize microbial contaminants and prevent foodborne illnesses.