Detection of Salmonella spp. in eggs for human consumption from poultry farms in municipalities of Alagoas State, Brazil

Salmonellosis is a disease that worries poultry farmers and can seriously impact the food safety of the population that consumes products of animal origin. The present study sought to detect the presence of Salmonella spp. in eggs intended for consumption from family poultry farms in municipalities of Alagoas State. The study was carried out from eight farms, where the sample from each farm was obtained by making pools of shell and internal contents of six randomly selected eggs. The pools were submitted to microbiological culture and the colonies were characterized and evaluated by means of laboratory tests. To this end, 50% (4/8) of the shell samples and 75% (6/8) of the internal contents of the eggs were positive for Salmonella spp. In addition, Klebsiella pneumoniae 12.5% (1/8) and Proteus spp. 25% (2/8) were found in the shell samples, and Yersinia spp. 12.5% (1/8) in the internal contents of the eggs. Salmonella spp. and other enterobacteria were confirmed to occur in eggs intended for consumption. The way the birds were raised did not seem to have a significant influence on the results obtained, and the presence of passerines on the farms may have contributed to the existence of bacteria there. Being aware of the risk to public health that some of these bacteria can present, it is necessary to take decisions that support the small producer in search of food safety for all.