Assessment of the risk of Staphylococcus aureus infection associated with the consumption of braised beef meat sold on the streets in Côte d'Ivoire

Braised beef meat sold on the streets, a meat product that poses a potential risk of food poisoning to humans. This study was to assess the risk of foodborne infection by S. aureus associated with the consumption of braised beef in Côte d’Ivoire, to improve food safety in this country. A preliminary survey was first carried out in six (06) separate towns in Cȏte d'Ivoire, among consumers (n = 900) and sellers (n = 300) of braised beef meat with a view to characterizing the behavior of these actors. A microbiological analysis was then carried out in accordance with the ISO 6888-1/-3 standard (1999) on 189 samples of this braised beef meat taken from various sales outlets in these towns. A risk model was developed. The risk of infection linked to the consumption of this braised beef was estimated using the Monte Carlo simulation procedure. The results of the consumer survey showed that the percentage of the population consuming braised beef meat (BBM) was 74.4%, with an average consumption of 114.3 ± 0.5 g/person/day. Microbiological analysis revealed the isolation of 92% S. aureus with a mean load of 6.0 ± 0.19 log10∙cfu/g greater than 10⁵ CFU/g. The probability of ingesting a dose greater than 10⁸ S. aureus bacteria ranged from 4.2% to 4.3%. Braised beef meat sold in the streets of Côte d'Ivoire's towns and cities poses a real risk of infection. S. aureus is one of the causes. S. aureus-associated gastroenteritis is caused by failure to observe simple hygiene rules. The risk of infection should be mitigated by cleaning up the places where this product is sold and promoting good hygiene practices in the informal sector.