A total of random 60 samples of frozen and ready to eat chicken fajitas (30 of each) were collected from different supermarkets and restaurants at El-Monufia Governorates. The collected samples were transferred immediately to the laboratory in an ice box for bacteriological examination which includes the count and study the prevalence of Staph. aureus and detection of its enterotoxins , isolation and serological identification of E.coli and Salmonella in frozen and ready to eat chicken fajitas.
The obtained results revealed that Staph. aureus could be detected in six examined samples (20%) and four examined samples (13.33%) with mean value of 4x102 ±0.43x102 and 3x102± 0.18x102 of examined frozen and ready to eat chicken fajitas, respectively.
Isolated Staph. aureus were tested for detection of enterotoxins production by using ELISA ,the results revealed that two isolates of frozen chicken fajitas were enterotoxigenic, of which one strain was able to produce enterotoxin type A (16.66 %) ,the other was type D (16.66%) producer ,on the other hand one isolate of ready to eat chicken fajitas proved to be enterotoxigenic type (A) with percentage of 25%.
Salmonella could be isolated from four examined samples (13.33 %) and three examined samples (10%) from frozen and ready to eat chicken fajitas, respectively. While, E.coli could be detected in six examined samples (20%) of both frozen and ready to eat chicken fajitas.
The public health importance and hygienic significance of the isolated strains as well as the suggested measures for improving the quality and safety of the product was discussed.