Evaluation of chemical and microbiological quality of selected retail meats in Jaffna, Sri Lanka for health safety assessment

Meat is an important source of high-quality protein, supplying all essential amino acids required for human nutrition. This study evaluated the physico-chemical characteristics and microbiological quality of fresh retail meat chicken, beef, and mutton to assess their safety for human consumption. A total of fifteen samples (n = 5 per meat type) were collected from retail outlets in Jaffna town, Sri Lanka, to generate baseline data relevant to public health monitoring and meat safety improvement. Physico-chemical analysis revealed variations among meat types. Chicken showed the highest pH (6.74 ± 0.12), while beef exhibited the lowest (5.87 ± 0.02). Moisture content ranged from 70.03 ± 1.51% in beef to 73.52 ± 1.22% in chicken. Mutton had the highest ash content (3.03 ± 0.10%), whereas beef recorded the highest fat (3.53 ± 0.12%) and protein content (23.16 ± 0.58%). Carbohydrate content was lowest in mutton (0.55 ± 0.05%). Water activity values ranged from 0.714 to 0.740, and beef showed the highest caloric value (578 ± 2 kcal/100 g). Microbiological analysis indicated considerable microbial loads across samples. Mesophilic counts were highest in chicken (7.39 log CFU/g). Psychrophilic bacteria were absent in chicken but detected in beef and mutton. Total and fecal coliform counts were highest in chicken and mutton, respectively. Mutton exhibited the highest Enterobacter counts, while E. coli levels were highest in chicken. Staphylococcus aureus was most prevalent in beef. Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. were not detected in any sample. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for continuous monitoring and improved hygienic practices in retail meat handling to ensure consumer safety and protect public health.