Introduction:

Beef is a widely consumed food source; however, it can serve as a reservoir for pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella spp., posing a major public health concern. In Ecuador, microbiological monitoring in local markets remains insufficient.

Objective:

To detect, characterize, and inhibit the growth of Salmonella spp. in

beef sold at the central market of El Empalme (Ecuador), while evaluating the antimicrobial effect of natural citrus extracts.

Materials y methods:

A simple random sampling method was employed to collect beef samples. Isolation and identification of Salmonella spp. were conducted using standard microbiological and biochemical assays. A completely randomized design with a bifactorial structure (A×B) was applied, where factor A included three citrus extracts (lemon, orange, mandarin) and factor B included three concentrations (100 %, 75 %, 50 %). Inhibitory activity was assessed via antibiogram testing and statistical analysis (ANOVA and Tukey’s test, p ≤ 0.05).

Results:

Salmonella spp. was detected in all samples. The isolated strains shared similar morphological and biochemical features. Lemon extracts at 100 % and 75 % concentrations exhibited the strongest antimicrobial activity, followed by orange extract at 100 %. In contrast, the mandarin extract and all treatments at 50 % concentration showed no significant inhibitory effect.

Conclusions:

The detection of Salmonella spp. in beef from El Empalme poses a significant health risk. Lemon and orange extracts, particularly at higher concentrations, demonstrate strong antimicrobial potential, offering a viable natural alternative to synthetic preservatives for enhancing beef safety.