Advances in Microbiology, 2017, 7, 633-640 http://www.scirp.org/journal/aim ISSN Online: 2165-3410 ISSN Print: 2165-3402 DOI: 10.4236/aim.2017.78049 Aug. 29, 2017 633 Advances in Microbiology Microbial Quality of “Tchachanga”, a Barbecued Mutton Sold in Benin Kadoéito Cyrille Boko 1 , Martial Gangnito 1 , Soumanou S. Toleba 2 , Philippe Sessou 1 , Ulbad Polycarpe Tougan 3 , Oscar Nestor Aguidissou 1 , Marc T. Kpodekon 1 , Souaïbou Farougou 1 1 Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Département de Production et Santé Animales, Unité de Recherche en Biotechnologie de la Production et de la Santé Animales, Abomey-Calavi, République du Bénin 2 Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Cotonou, République du Bénin 3 Université de Parakou, Faculté d’Agronomie, Parakou, République du Bénin Abstract The microbial quality of Tchachanga, a barbecued mutton sold at Bohicon and Hilla-Condji bus stations in Benin was assessed in accordance with French standards (DGAL, 2000). The analyses revealed that the average total viable counts (TVC) recorded in Bohicon (3.96 × 10 8 cfu/g) and Hilla-Condji (5.51 × 10 8 cfu/g) exceeded standard safety limits (3 × 10 5 cfu/g). Similar observations were made for other parameters such as fecal coliforms count, Escherichia coli count, sulphite-reducing anaerobes, Staphylococcus aureus, yeasts and molds. Salmonella sp were absent in all samples. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the microbial loads obtained in Bohicon and Hilla-Condji. This study shows that barbecued mutton sold in these two stations is unsafe for human consumption. It is therefore important for food safety authorities in Benin to take appropriate measures and sensitize sellers on strict obser- vance of hygiene rules in order to preserve public health. Keywords Food Safety, Tchachanga, Street-Vended Food, Microorganisms, Public Health 1. Introduction In recent years, the phenomenon of rapid urbanization in developing countries has not spared Benin, where the urban population is growing steadily. This rapid and intensive urbanization together with unemployment and economic crisis have enhanced the growth of street-vended foods [1]. Street-vended foods are ready-to-eat foods prepared and sold by vendors or hawkers primarily along the How to cite this paper: Boko, K.C., Gang- nito, M., Toleba, S.S., Sessou, P., Tougan, U.P., Aguidissou, O.N., Kpodekon, M.T. and Farougou, S. (2017) Microbial Quality of “Tchachanga”, a Barbecued Mutton Sold in Benin. Advances in Microbiology, 7, 633-640. https://doi.org/10.4236/aim.2017.78049 Received: July 25, 2017 Accepted: August 26, 2017 Published: August 29, 2017 Copyright © 2017 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access