Review of the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in milk and dairy products in Ethiopia

Food safety is a significant barrier to social and economic development throughout the world, particularly in developing countries. Here, we reviewed the prevalence of major bacterial foodborne pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter spp.) in the rapidly growing Ethiopian dairy supply-chain. We identified 15, 9, 5 and 0 studies that had reported the prevalence of Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter spp. in dairy foods, respectively. The studies reviewed reported a median prevalence of Salmonella, L. monocytogenes, and E. coli O157:H7 of 6, 9 and 10%, respectively, in raw cow milk in Ethiopia, indicating a concerning occurrence of bacterial foodborne pathogens in raw milk. Implementation of good hygiene and production practices and assessment of interventions targeting the reduction of contamination in the dairy supply chain is needed to inform coordinated efforts focused on improvement of dairy food safety in Ethiopia.