Research Journal of Food Science and Nutrition

Informal markets remain critical sources of animal protein across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet they are often characterised by inadequate hygiene, poor infrastructure, and weak regulatory oversight. These conditions create hotspots for microbial contamination of meat, posing significant food safety and public health threats. This study assessed the bacterial load, pathogenic profiles, and public health risks associated with raw cow (beef) and goat meat sold in two major open markets in Abeokuta metropolis, Nigeria. A total of eight (n = 8) 100-gram samples of raw meat were aseptically collected from thigh muscle portions of slaughtered cattle and goats (beef and goat), at morning and evening sales from Kuto and Lafenwa markets. Standard plate count methods were employed for enumeration, while morphological and biochemical techniques were used for bacterial characterisation. Statistical analyses (ANOVA, frequency distributions) were applied to compare microbial loads across meat types, locations, and sale periods. The results show that bacterial loads exceeded international safety thresholds (≥1 × 10⁶ CFU/g) across all samples, ranging from 9.0 × 10⁷ to 7.0 × 10⁹ CFU/g. Goat meat exhibited significantly higher microbial loads than beef (p < 0.05), while evening samples consistently recorded higher counts than morning samples (p < 0.05). Lafenwa market samples demonstrated greater contamination compared to Kuto. Predominant isolates included Staphylococcus spp. (57.1%), Proteus spp. (14.3%), Salmonella spp. (14.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.1%), and Enterobacter spp. (7.1%). The detection of enteric and opportunistic pathogens highlights systemic hygiene failures within informal meat supply chains and reinforces their role as under-recognized nodes for foodborne disease and antimicrobial resistance transmission. In conclusion, raw beef and goat meat sold in Abeokuta’s open markets are heavily contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, posing significant risks of foodborne infections and a potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Urgent interventions are required, including routine microbial surveillance, provision of cold-chain infrastructure, and stringent hygiene enforcement for meat handlers.