Prevalence of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes contamination in foods of animal origin in Italy

The present survey collected and analyzed the results of routine testing for Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes on foods of animal origin submitted for official controls in Italy during 2001 to 2002. Salmonella was detected in 2.2% of 71,643 food samples examined, and the isolation rates ranged from 9.9% for raw poultry meat to less than 0.1% for dairy products. Isolation rates were also high in raw pork (4.9%) and processed meats (5.3%), which often involved pork. Low rates were observed in seafood (0.5%) and in ready-to-eat foods, such as grocery products (0.7%) and ice creams (0.1%). Serotyping showed that approximately 50% of the isolates belonged to the serotypes most commonly isolated from humans in Italy, thus confirming that most cases of human salmonellosis have a foodborne origin. Levels of L. monocytogenes were higher than what is accepted by the current regulation in 2.4% of 42,300 food samples. The positivity rates ranged from 10.3% in raw pork to none in eggs and egg products. Contamination rates were higher in other meat products (between 2 and 5%) and fish (6.5%) than in cheeses (1.1%) and other dairy products (0.6%). Routine control activities on the microbial contamination of foods can generate data with statistical and epidemiological value. Such data can be used as a basis for estimating the exposure of consumers to foodborne pathogens, following the trends of contamination over time, and evaluating the effects of control measures on the contamination of food.