Introduction: Chicken meat plays a fundamental role in the human diet, due to its high nutritional value, affordability, and excellent sensory acceptance than other sources of animal protein. However, inadequate hygiene practices during production, slaughter, and storage processes can add contaminants to chicken, which can pose a health risk to consumers.

Objectives: To assess the microbiological quality of chicken meat processed in slaughterhouses in Maputo province.

Methodology: This retrospective study analysed microbiological data of 525 chicken meat samples collected routinely from two slaughterhouses between 2016 and 2023. Data were evaluated against regulatory safety limits, and analysed statistically to assess trends in microbiological contamination levels over time.

Results: All samples showed bacterial growth, with aerobic-mesophilic bacteria detected in 97.52% of them. Slaughterhouse B recorded the highest aerobic-mesophilic bacterial counts, ranging from 3.80 to 5.25 log CFU/g, though did not differ from slaughterhouse A (p>0.05). However, throughout the study period, there was an increase in samples exceeding regulatory safety thresholds, with non-compliance rates reaching 45.5% and 50.0% in slaughterhouses A and B, respectively. Regarding coliform contamination, total coliforms were found in 78.10% and faecal coliforms in 63.43% of the samples. Slaughterhouse A showed the highest mean loads of both total coliforms (R: 32–219 MPN/g) and faecal coliform (R: 4–46 MPN/g). Coliform contamination proportions were significantly higher in Slaughterhouse A (p < 0.0001), as 43.2% of samples with total coliforms and 24.2% with faecal coliforms exceeded the regulatory safety limits compared to Slaughterhouse B with 20.3% and 9.9%, respectively. Over time, Slaughterhouse B showed a decline in coliform levels, whereas Slaughterhouse A exhibited an increasing trend.

Conclusion: The increasing trend in microbiological contamination found in this study suggests failures in hygienic quality over time, highlighting the need for improved monitoring and implementation of stricter sanitary controls to protect public health.

Keywords: Microbiological analysis, chicken meat, contamination