Search

Food-borne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represent the significant public health challenges in the 21st century. Increased emergence of AMR in major zoonotic food-borne pathogens (Salmonella, Campylobacter) and in commensal bacteria (E. coli, enterococci), its presence in agro-food (meat) chain and environment, including control/prevention of AMR transfer from food-producing animals to humans via food consumption, is of utmost importance for public health. This review highlights the most relevant risk mitigation strategies for AMR in the meat production chain within One Health context. The monitoring and surveillance systems for AMR in meat chain are presented and briefly discussed, including sampling schemes, susceptibility testing, clinical resistance and epidemiological cut-off values. The most effective approaches to track and manage AMR in farm-abattoir-meat processing-retail continuum have been recommended, including aspects of international harmonization of critically important antimicrobials for human and veterinary use. The successful AMR monitoring and control in the meat chain can be achieved by evidence-based and integrated approach within One Health context. The application of state-of-the-art technologies and methods for detection and tracking of zoonotic food borne pathogens and AMR, such as Whole Genome Sequencing supported with data processing using Artificial Intelligence (machine learning), can contribute to achieving this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of antimicrobials in aquaculture primarily aims to prevent and treat bacterial infections in fish, but their inappropriate use may result in the emergence of zoonotic antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the subsequent transmission of resistant strains to humans via food consumption. The aquatic environment serves as a potential reservoir for resistant bacteria, providing an ideal breeding ground for development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The mutual inter-connection of intensive fish-farming systems with terrestrial environments, the food processing industry and human population creates pathways for the transmission of resistant bacteria, exacerbating the problem further. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the most effective and available risk mitigation strategies to tackle AMR in aquaculture, based on the One Health (OH) concept. The stringent antimicrobial use guidelines, promoting disease control methods like enhanced farm biosecurity measures and vaccinations, alternatives to antibiotics (ABs) (prebiotics, probiotics, immunostimulants, essential oils (EOs), peptides and phage therapy), feeding practices, genetics, monitoring water quality, and improving wastewater treatment, rather than applying excessive use of antimicrobials, can effectively prevent the development of AMR and release of resistant bacteria into the environment and food. The contribution of the environment to AMR development traditionally receives less attention, and, therefore, environmental aspects should be included more prominently in OH efforts to predict, detect and prevent the risks to health. This is of particular importance for low and middle-income countries with a lack of integration of the national AMR action plans (NAPs) with the aquaculture-producing environment. Integrated control of AMR in fisheries based on the OH approach can contribute to substantial decrease in resistance, and such is the case in Asia, where in aquaculture, the percentage of antimicrobial compounds with resistance exceeding 50% (P50) decreased from 52% to 22% within the period of the previous two decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen that has a significant impact on public health, with strains possessing the attachment factor intimin referred to as enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and associated with life-threatening illnesses. Cattle and beef are considered typical sources of STEC, but their presence in pork products is a growing concern. Therefore, carcasses (n=1,536) at two U.S. pork processors were sampled once per season at three stages of harvest (poststunning skins, postscald carcasses, and chilled carcasses) and then examined using PCR for Shiga toxin genes (stx), intimin genes (eae), aerobic plate count (APC), and Enterobacteriaceae counts (EBC). The prevalence of stx on skins, postscald, and chilled carcasses was 85.3, 17.5, and 5.4%, respectively, with 82.3, 7.8, and 1.7% of swabs, respectively, having stx and eae present. All stx-positive samples were subjected to culture isolation that resulted in 368 STEC and 46 EHEC isolates. The most frequently identified STEC were serogroups O121, O8, and O91 (63, 6.7, and 6.0% of total STEC, respectively). The most frequently isolated EHEC was serotype O157:H7 (63% of total EHEC). Results showed that scalding significantly reduced (P < 0.05) carcass APC and EBC by 3.00- and 2.50-log10 CFU/100 cm2, respectively. A seasonal effect was observed, with STEC prevalence lower (P <0.05) in winter. The data from this study show significant (P <0.05) reduction in the incidence of STEC (stx) from 85.3% to 5.4% and of EHEC (stx plus eae) from 82.3% to 1.7% within the slaughter-to-chilling continuum, respectively, and that potential EHEC can be confirmed present throughout using culture isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past two decades, serious outbreaks of foodborne disease were caused byListeria monocytogenes, a pathogen frequently found in delicatessens at retail. Although the prevalence of listeriosis is not high, the severity of disease is significant, with high hospitalization and mortality rates. Potential sources ofL. monocytogenesand food contamination routes in retail and food service operations include incoming raw materials, food products, food handlers, customers, vendors, and environmental sources. Risk mitigation strategies forL. monocytogenesshould be based on integrated control along the food chain continuum, from farm to retail establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Microbiological data on hygiene indicators are important fo r assessment o f hygiene levels in abattoirs and control o f carcass contamination. Risk categorization o f slaughterhouses should be based on a process hygiene output through the use o f indicator organisms - Total Viable Counts (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae counts (EC) and Salmonella spp. - monitored on carcasses. The level o f TVC indicates the overall hygiene in abattoirs (equipment, tools, workers), while the presence o f EC on carcasses can indicate fecal contamination which can occur during slaughter/dressing. Detection o f Salmonella spp. indicates the presence o f pathogens, with potential origin from the farm. The aim o f this study was to assess the slaughter process hygiene in abattoirs o f different sizes and throughputs, a large- and a small-scale abattoir, and to analyze differences in process hygiene levels based on implementation o f their self-control plans, throughout a period offive years for cattle and six years fo r pigs. In the large-scale abattoir, TVC levels were slightly higher on cattle carcasses than on pig carcasses, but were always within the regulatory satisfactory or acceptable ranges. In the small-scale abattoir, low counts o f EC were observed on cattle and pig carcasses, with slightly higher levels on cattle carcasses, but the counts were always within the regulatory satisfactory range. Higher TVC levels on both cattle and pig carcasses were observed in the large-scale abattoir versus the small-scale abattoir, but both abattoirs still showed process hygiene levels within the regulatory satisfactory or acceptable range. Salmonella was recovered only from two pig carcasses in the large-scale abattoir. The study revealed that TVC levels differed more on pig carcasses, while EC levels differed more on cattle carcasses. Process hygiene levels in both abattoirs were always in the allowed regulatory range and also were similar to the hygiene levels in other, developed European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processed meat/fish products (pâtés, cooked chicken sausages, canned chopped meat and dry fermented sausages) were evaluated for their contribution to the total daily intake of saturated fats and total fats, in relation to Serbian and European regulations. Estimations of saturated fat daily intakes indicated that fish pâté and chicken cooked sausages would provide similar amounts to the recommended daily limit of saturated fat (limited to 10% of total fat intake), while the calculated contributions from pork and beef meat products were much greater (pâtés 20-53%; canned chopped meat 22-23%; dry fermented sausages 65-81%). The ratio of n-6/n-3, as an indicator of lipid quality, was ≤4 in fish pâtés and was considerably higher in turkey, ham and chicken pâté (17.5, 21.9 and 46.9 respectively), cooked chicken sausages (8.55-14.98), canned chopped meat (13.28-16.07) and dry fermented sausages (22.12-26.78). The results obtained could be of importance for the establishment of tables for nutritional value of products. It was confirmed that a regular intake of saturated fat and total fat via consumption of processed meat products, in particular processed pork products, was likely to be high in the Serbian general population. We speculate that this is, in turn, is likely to increase the potential risk for development of coronary heart disease (CHD). The increased awareness of the meat industry regarding the importance of the fat content/quality in processed meat products and its impact on health, optimization of the product specifications (replacement of SFAs with unsaturated fats), health promotion activities by public health authorities, as well as better education of consumers about beneficial nutrition habits (e.g. Mediterranean diet) should reduce the rate of CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 703 samples were tested over 1-year period. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from 12.4% and 2.3% of fish and environmental swabs, respectively. The ratio of n-6/n-3 which is between 1:1 and 4:1, as more desirable parameter of the lipid quality for nutritive benefit e.g. reducing the risk of many diseases, in the fresh salmon, cold and hot smoked salmon was close to 1:1 (fresh salmon, 1.28; cold smoked salmon, 0.98; hot smoked salmon, 1.59). The fatty acid composition of smoked salmon products was also expressed as mg 100 g−1 which is important from the nutritional point of view. The examined salmon products had a high content of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (742 to 1567 mg 100g−1) and fulfill requirements for their sufficient contents of recommendations in the World. On the other hand, cold smoked salmon can be naturally contaminated with low numbers of L. monocytogenes. This could represent a serious hazard for susceptible individuals or “YOPI” (young, old, pregnant or immunocompromised individuals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictive microbiology is a recent area within food microbiology, which studies the responses of microorganisms in foods to environmental factors (e.g. temperature, pH, NaCl) through mathematical functions. These functions enable scientists to predict the behavior of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms under different combinations of factors. Predictive microbiology models have immediate practical applications to improve microbial food safety and quality, and are leading to the development of a quantitative understanding of the microbial ecology of foods. Predictive models in foods have developed significantly in the last 20 years due to the emergence of powerful computational resources and sophisticated statistical packages. Modeling microbial responses in food requires the interdisciplinary collaboration of food microbiologists and mathematicians; food technologists and computing scientists; molecular microbiologists and statisticians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to assess the manufacturing process of liver patѐ (150 g) packed in cans designed for the domestic market. The investigation included hygiene of the manufacturing process, product quality and control of heat treatment. Process hygiene was assessed through determining microbial numbers in canned stuffing before heat treatment, immediately after filling and during the wait time for the canning process (up to 150 minutes). Sulphate reducing Clostridia were not detected, Escherichia coli numbers ranged from 3,08 up to 3,25 log CFU/g−1, Enterobacteriaceae from 2,96 up to 3,08 log CFU/g−1 and total aerobic colony count from 5,75 up to 6,36 log CFU/g−1. Average chemical and physico-chemical product parameters were determined: total protein content (9,66±0,61%), fat content (22,32±1,05%), sodium chloride content (1,49±0,04%), aw (0,96±0,005), pH (6,44±0,11) and nitrite content as NaNO2 (7,44±1,97 mg/kg−1). Determined chemical and physico-chemical parameters were in accordance with the requirements of domestic legislation. Heat treatment lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes. Effective sterilization time was 55 minutes, at autoclave medium temperature 114°C and a pressure of 3.2 bar. Lethality of the heat treatment was controlled by thermocouple probes placed in thermal centre of cans in six point checks and determining Fo values which ranged from 7,24–8,58. This thermal regime, supported by can hermeticity, was sufficient to ensure the safety of the canned liver patѐ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]