Aerobic spore formers especially Bacillus species are mainly be associated with food poisoning and
among the main spoilage organisms in food due to their versatile metabolism and heat-resistant spores.
A total of 100 random samples of meat products represented by (frozen rice kofta, kobiba-shami,
oriental sausage and beef luncheon (25 for each) were collected from different shops, supermarkets
and hypermarkets at Menoufia and Kalyobia governorates. These samples were examined
bacteriolgically for presence of aerobic spore formers. The mean values of total aerobic spore forming
counts in frozen rice kofta, kobeba-shami, oriental sausage and beef luncheon were 1.37×10³ ±
0.25×10³cfu/g, 1.16×10³±0.25×10, 1.03 ×10³±0.17×10³ and 8.58×104±1.62×104 at 32°C and 6.14
×10² ±0.88×10², 6.52×10²±1.07×10³, 4.79×10² ± 0.54×10² and 2.96×10² ± 0.31×10² cfu/g at 55°C,
respectively. The highest incidence of aerobic spore formers was recorded in frozen rice kofta (88%)
at 32°C and 84% at 55°C, while beef luncheon showed the lowest incidence (72%) at 32°C and 56% at
55°C. Bacillus cereus was the most predominant aerobic spore former contaminated such examined
samples.