ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIVE VALUE AND HYGIENIC STATE OF LIVER (KIBDA) AND SLICED MEAT SANDWICHES IN NEW VALLEY GOVERNORATE

In the present work, 50 samples of each ready-to-eat (RTE) sandwiches of the liver (kibda) and sliced meat were collected at random from the points of sale in El-Kharga city, New Valley Governorate, Egypt. The hygienic (coliforms, fecal coliforms, E. coli . yeast, and mould counts) and nutritional (moisture, protein, fat, ash, gross energy, and cholesterol content) quality were assessed. All samples were sensory accepted. The coliforms were detected in 52 and 50%; fecal coliforms in 10 and 2%; and E. coli in 4 and 2% of the examined RTE sandwiches of kibda and sliced meat, respectively. Pathogenic E. coli strains were identified from the liver (3 strains) and sliced meat (1 strain) samples. The average yeast count was 4.20±0.0.25, and 3.46±0.17; while that of mould was 3.18±0.13 and 2.90±0.07 log 10 cfu/g, respectively. The average moisture contents (%) were 55.62±0.43 and 43.50±0.68; protein (%) were 24.29±0.47 and 24.45±0.60; fat (%) were 10.41±0.25 and 16.13±0.43; and ash (%) were 2.75±0.08 and 1.41±0.06, respectively. The average gross energy contents (Kcal/100g) were 190.90±3.30 and 243.0±4.6, respectively. The average total cholesterol contents (mg/100g) were 60.12±6.93 and 50.45±6.02, respectively. In conclusion, although nutritious, RTE sandwiches under investigation may pose public health concerns (pathogenic bacteria and cholesterol), especially those of liver (kibda).