This study was conducted to determine the presence and contamination levels of Listeria spp. in 100 samples of chicken meat, including 40 mince meat samples, 30 meatball samples and 30 burger samples which were retailed fresh in the markets of Ankara. USDA/FSIS suggested methods were used for the isolation and identification of Listeria spp., while the number of Listeria spp. was detected by the Most Probable Number (MPN) technique. As a result, it was found that chicken mince samples were contaminated by various Listeria spp. in 85% (34/40) of chicken mince meat samples, 83.3% (25/30) of chicken meatball samples and 40% (12/30) of chicken burger samples with the mean values of 3.2x101, 1.3x101 and 8.6 MPN/g, respectively. In the samples, L. innocua was the most prevalent species and it was followed by L. monocytogenes and L. grayi beside these, L. seeligeri was isolated from the microflora of mince samples while L. welshimeri was found in the meatball and burger samples. The determination of the presence and contamination levels of L. monocytogenes in the samples showed that they were contaminated by the agent in 35% (14/40) of chicken mince samples, 20% (6/30) of chicken meatballs and 26.6% (8/30) of chicken burger samples with the mean values of 6.2 MPN/g, 3.8x 101 MPN/g and 4.8 MPN/g, respectively. As a conclusion, the presence of L. monocytogenes in 20-35% of the examined samples showed that it is a potential health risk in case of the consumption of undercooked food due to Listeria infections. In order to prevent this potential hazard, it is recommended that the legal rules determined by the European Union must be put into practice for those products in the risk group and that hygienic precautions are taken by producing firms.

This study was conducted to determine the presence and contamination levels of Listeria spp. in 100 samples of chicken meat, including 40 mince meat samples, 30 meatball samples and 30 burger samples which were retailed fresh in the markets of Ankara. USDA/FSIS suggested methods were used for the isolation and identification of Listeria spp., while the number of Listeria spp. was detected by the Most Probable Number (MPN) technique. As a result, it was found that chicken mince samples were contaminated by various Listeria spp. in 85% (34/40) of chicken mince meat samples, 83.3% (25/30) of chicken meatball samples and 40% (12/30) of chicken burger samples with the mean values of 3.2x101, 1.3x101 and 8.6 MPN/g, respectively. In the samples, L. innocua was the most prevalent species and it was followed by L. monocytogenes and L. grayi beside these, L. seeligeri was isolated from the microflora of mince samples while L. welshimeri was found in the meatball and burger samples. The determination of the presence and contamination levels of L. monocytogenes in the samples showed that they were contaminated by the agent in 35% (14/40) of chicken mince samples, 20% (6/30) of chicken meatballs and 26.6% (8/30) of chicken burger samples with the mean values of 6.2 MPN/g, 3.8x 101 MPN/g and 4.8 MPN/g, respectively. As a conclusion, the presence of L. monocytogenes in 20-35% of the examined samples showed that it is a potential health risk in case of the consumption of undercooked food due to Listeria infections. In order to prevent this potential hazard, it is recommended that the legal rules determined by the European Union must be put into practice for those products in the risk group and that hygienic precautions are taken by producing firms.