U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service testing for Salmonella in selected raw meat and poultry products in the United States, 1998 through 2003: analysis of set results

The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) tests sets of samples of selected raw meat and poultry products for Salmonella to ensure that federally inspected establishments meet performance standards defined in the pathogen reduction-hazard analysis and critical control point system (PR-HACCP) final rule. In the present report, sample set results are described and associations between set failure and set and establishment characteristics are identified for 4,607 sample sets collected from 1998 through 2003. Sample sets were obtained from seven product classes: broiler chicken carcasses (n = 1,010), cow and bull carcasses (n = 240), market hog carcasses (n = 560), steer and heifer carcasses (n = 123), ground beef (n = 2,527), ground chicken (n = 31), and ground turkey (n = 116). Of these 4,607 sample sets, 92% (4,255) were collected as part of random testing efforts (A sets), and 93% (4,166) passed. However, the percentage of positive samples relative to the maximum number of positive results allowable in a set increased over time for broilers but decreased or stayed the same for the other product classes. Three factors associated with set failure were identified: establishment size, product class, and year. Set failures were more likely early in the testing program (relative to 2003). Small and very small establishments were more likely to fail than large ones. Set failure was less likely in ground beef than in other product classes. Despite an overall decline in set failures through 2003, these results highlight the need for continued vigilance to reduce Salmonella contamination in broiler chicken and continued implementation of programs designed to assist small and very small establishments with PR-HACCP compliance issues.     

U.S. Food safety and Inspection Service testing for Salmonella in selected raw meat and poultry products in the United States, 1998 through 2003: an establishment-level analysis

The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) pathogen reduction-hazard analysis critical control point systems final rule, published in 1996, established Salmonella performance standards for broiler chicken, cow and bull, market hog, and steer and heifer carcasses and for ground beef, chicken, and turkey meat. In 1998, the FSIS began testing to verify that establishments are meeting performance standards. Samples are collected in sets in which the number of samples is defined but varies according to product class. A sample set fails when the number of positive Salmonella samples exceeds the maximum number of positive samples allowed under the performance standard. Salmonella sample sets collected at 1,584 establishments from 1998 through 2003 were examined to identify factors associated with failure of one or more sets. Overall, 1,282 (80.9%) of establishments never had failed sets. In establishments that did experience set failure(s), generally the failed sets were collected early in the establishment testing history, with the exception of broiler establishments where failure(s) occurred both early and late in the course of testing. Small establishments were more likely to have experienced a set failure than were large or very small establishments, and broiler establishments were more likely to have failed than were ground beef, market hog, or steer-heifer establishments. Agency response to failed Salmonella sample sets in the form of in-depth verification reviews and related establishment-initiated corrective actions have likely contributed to declines in the number of establishments that failed sets. A focus on food safety measures in small establishments and broiler processing establishments should further reduce the number of sample sets that fail to meet the Salmonella performance standard.     

Testing for Salmonella in raw meat and poultry products collected at federally inspected establishments in the United States, 1998 through 2000

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems; Final Rule (the PR/HACCP rule) on 25 July 1996. To verify that industry PR/HACCP systems are effective in controlling the contamination of raw meat and poultry products with human disease-causing bacteria, this rule sets product-specific Salmonella performance standards that must be met by slaughter establishments and establishments producing raw ground products. These performance standards are based on the prevalence of Salmonella as determined from the FSIS's nationwide microbial baseline studies and are expressed in terms of the maximum number of Salmonella-positive samples that are allowed in a given sample set. From 26 January 1998 through 31 December 2000, federal inspectors collected 98,204 samples and 1,502 completed sample sets for Salmonella analysis from large, small, and very small establishments that produced at least one of seven raw meat and poultry products: broilers, market hogs, cows and bulls, steers and heifers, ground beef, ground chicken, and ground turkey. Salmonella prevalence in most of the product categories was lower after the implementation of PR/HACCP than in pre-PR/HACCP baseline studies and surveys conducted by the FSIS. The results of 3 years of testing at establishments of all sizes combined show that >80% of the sample sets met the following Salmonella prevalence performance standards: 20.0% for broilers, 8.7% for market hogs, 2.7% for cows and bulls, 1.0% for steers and heifers, 7.5% for ground beef, 44.6% for ground chicken, and 49.9% for ground turkey. The decreased Salmonella prevalences may partly reflect industry improvements, such as improved process control, incorporation of antimicrobial interventions, and increased microbial-process control monitoring, in conjunction with PR/HACCP implementation.     

Incidence of Salmonella on beef carcasses relating to the U.S. meat and poultry inspection regulations.

This article is part of a major study designed to collect baseline contamination data by sampling beef carcasses in seven slaughtering plants (four steer-heifer and three cow-bull plants) during both a dry season (November to January) and a wet season (May to June). Samples (n = 30) were excised from each of three carcass anatomical sites (brisket, flank, and rump) at each of three points in the slaughtering chain (pre-evisceration, following final carcass washing, after 24-h carcass chilling). A total of 3,780 samples (100 cm2 each) were analyzed for presence of Salmonella; aerobic plate counts, total coliform counts, and Escherichia coli counts were also made. After 24-h chilling, average incidence (expressed as a percentage) of Salmonella in the brisket, flank, and rump samples, respectively, for steer-heifer carcasses was 0.8+/-1.7, 0, and 2.5+/-5.0 for the wet season and 0.8+/-1.7, 0, and 0 for the dry season; the corresponding percentages for cowbull carcasses were 4.4+/-2.0, 2.2+/-3.9, and 1.1+/-1.9 for the wet season and 2.2+/-3.9, 1.1+/-1.9, and 0 for the dry season. Depending on plant and season, ranges of probabilities of chilled steer-heifer carcasses passing the U.S. regulatory requirements for Salmonella contamination were 0.24 to 1.0 for the brisket, 1.0 for the flank, and 0.002 to 1.0 for the rump; the corresponding ranges for the chilled cow-bull carcasses were 0.25 to 1.0, 0.25 to 1.0, and 0.70 to 1.0. When the number of positive brisket, flank, and rump samples were combined, the probabilities of passing the regulatory requirements were 0.242 to 1.0 and 0.772 to 1.0 for the wet and dry seasons, respectively, in steer-heifer plants and 0.368 to 0.974 and 0.865 to 1.0 in cow-bull plants. Correlation coefficients of aerobic plate counts, total coliform counts, and E. coli counts with Salmonella incidence were higher (P< or =0.05) for cow-bull samples that had increased incidence of the pathogen when compared to steer-heifer samples.     

Modeling the inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Enteritidis on poultry products exposed to pulsed UV light

Pulsed UV light inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium on unpackaged and vacuum-packaged chicken breast, Listeria monocytogenes on unpackaged and vacuum-packaged chicken frankfurters, and Salmonella Enteritidis on shell eggs was explained by log-linear and Weibull models using inactivation data from previous studies. This study demonstrated that the survival curves of Salmonella Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes were nonlinear exhibiting concavity. The Weibull model was more successful than the log-linear model in estimating the inactivations for all poultry products evaluated, except for Salmonella Enteritidis on shell eggs, for which the survival curve was sigmoidal rather than concave, and the use of the Weibull model resulted in slightly better fit than the log-linear model. The analyses for the goodness of fit and performance of the Weibull model produced root mean square errors of 0.059 to 0.824, percent root mean square errors of 3.105 to 21.182, determination coefficients of 0.747 to 0.989, slopes of 0.842 to 1.042, bias factor values of 0.505 to 1.309, and accuracy factor values of 1.263 to 6.874. Overall, this study suggests that the survival curves of pathogens on poultry products exposed to pulsed UV light are nonlinear and that the Weibull model may generally be a useful tool to describe the inactivation patterns for pathogenic microorganisms affiliated with poultry products.     

Organic acids as antimicrobials to control Salmonella in meat and poultry products

Salmonella, a food-borne pathogen, has a recurrent incidence in meat and poultry products. Currently, cases of salmonellosis represent very important economic losses in many countries. An alternative for the prevention of Salmonella outbreaks due to consumption of meat and poultry products, are organic acids (acetic, citric, lactic, malic, propionic, and tartaric among others). Organic acids have been utilized for many years for decontamination of beef, pork and poultry products from several bacteria including Salmonella. Current reports describe new treatments with organic acids using the hurdle technology approach to inhibit Salmonella. Also, preventive actions should be taken in order to decrease the appearance of resistant strains of Salmonella as a result of insufficient or sub-lethal treatments with organic acids in meat and poultry products. This review presents general insights on the use of the organic acids to control Salmonella in meat and poultry products. Also, information of the action mechanism, types and doses of treatments, as well as how resistance can occur from improper application of organic acids.     

Psychrotrophic clostridia causing spoilage in cooked meat and poultry products.

Certain types of commercially produced noncured turkey breast and roast beef are precooked in situ, stored at 4 degrees C or below, and typically given use by dates of greater than 50 days. While of rare, sporadic occurrence, an unpleasant spoilage characterized by strong H2S odor and gas production has been observed in these products. This spoilage is due to the growth of psychrotrophic anaerobic sporeformers. Isolates from roast beef resemble Clostridium laramie while isolates from uncured turkey have been designated C. ctm for cooked turkey meat. The turkey breast isolates were characterized by temperature growth ranges, carbohydrate fermentations, and other biochemical reactions. Growth of all isolates was inhibited in broth media by 3.0% NaCl, 100 ppm nitrite, 2.0% sodium lactate, or 0.2% sodium diacetate. Inoculated studies were performed with three isolates in cooked turkey product. All three isolates grew and spoiled product at 10 and 3.3 degrees C, and one isolate grew at 0.5 and -3 degrees C. Some differences in growth were observed with the lactate and diacetate treatments in turkey meat among the three isolates. One isolate appeared to utilize the lactate, two were inhibited. Overall, 0.1% diacetate consistently delayed growth, although to different degrees, for all isolates.     

Statistically designed survey of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and co-planar polychlorinated biphenyls in U. S. meat and poultry, 2002-2003: results, trends, and implications

To obtain information on dioxin levels in the human diet, the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture recently determined levels of dioxin-like compounds (dioxins/dibenzofurans/PCBs) in four major slaughter classes (steers and heifers, market hogs, young chickens, and young turkeys) that comprise over 90% of the meat and poultry production in the United States. The data were analyzed and compared to data from smaller surveys carried out from 1994 to 1996. These surveys were conducted by different laboratories nearly 10 years apart, so a direct comparison of the data was not straightforward. Three approaches were taken: (1) comparison with nondetects set to zero, (2) comparison with nondetects set to half the limit of detection, and (3) comparison applying the earlier surveys' limits of detection to the newer data. The data analyses indicated that dioxin levels appear to have declined in three of the four slaughter classes, with young chickens, market hogs, and young turkeys declining 20-80%, while any declines in cattle dioxin levels, if real, are less than those observed in the other slaughter classes. Further study is needed to examine factors that might explain the differences in dioxin levels and distribution profiles in the four slaughter classes. A small number of market hog and steers/ heifers samples had dioxin toxic equivalency levels (TEQs) greater than 2 pg/g lipid weight. Follow-up investigations for those samples indicated a common source for the market hog samples (a dioxin-contaminated mineral supplement), but no commonality was found for the steers/ heifers samples.     

Comparison of the reveal test, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration culture method, and selective media for recovery of Salmonella enteritidis from commercial egg layer flock environments

Salmonella is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses in the United States, and Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is the second most frequently isolated Salmonella serovar. Egg products are most often associated with outbreaks of SE infection. To prevent SE contamination of eggs, many producers are implementing flock inspections for SE at their facilities. A rapid and simple method for detecting SE in poultry environmental samples is critical for effective control of SE. In this study, the Reveal test for SE was compared with the conventional U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) culture method for detecting SE in naturally contaminated environmental samples. The efficacy of two enrichment media, tetrathionate broth (TT) and Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium (RV), and three selective plating media, brilliant green agar with novobiocin (BGN), xylose lysine tergitol 4 agar (XLT4), and bismuth sulfite agar (BS), also were compared for SE isolation. One hundred twenty-eight environmental drag swab samples were collected from two previously identified SE-positive chicken flocks in two U.S. states and analyzed in parallel using the Reveal test and the FDA culture method. Twenty-five samples (19.5%) yielded SE when the Reveal test was used, and 23 samples (18.0%) were positive for SE by the FDA culture method. No significant difference in efficacy (P = 0.527) was found between the two methods. The Reveal test had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 83, 94, and 92%, respectively. Overall, a significantly greater number of positive samples was obtained after enrichment in RV compared with TT. XLT4 and BGN were more efficient than BS for isolating SE. However, no single method or medium successfully recovered SE from all SE-positive environmental samples.     

A new 7-plex PCR assay for simultaneous detection of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella Enteritidis in meat products

A 7-plex PCR assay was developed to achieve an effective detection and identification of serotype Enteritidis of Salmonella spp. and shiga toxin-producing type of Escherichia coli O157 in meat products. Six DNA sequences in the invA and sdfI genes of Salmonella Enteritidis as well as rfbE, eae, stx1, and stx2 genes of E. coli O157:H7 were employed to design primers. The multiplex PCR assay could specifically and sensitively detect and identify target pathogens. Applying the assay to meat samples, the multiplex PCR assay was able to simultaneously detect and identify the two pathogens at a sensitivity of three CFU/10?g raw meats after simple 16?h enrichment in buffered peptone water. Further applying in 21 retail meat samples revealed that two samples were positive for non-shiga toxin producing E. coli O157, one sample was positive for Stx2 producing E. coli O157 and five samples were positive for Salmonella enterica Enteritidis. Taken together, the 7-plex PCR assay is a rapid and reliable method for effectively screening single or multiple pathogens occurrences in various meat products, and could also identify the Salmonella enterica Enteritidis from all Salmonella spp. and shiga toxin producing type from all E. coli strains. Considering as a non expensive screening tool, the multiplex PCR assay has a great potential in complement for food stuff analysis by conventional microbiological tests.     

Perceptions of peanuts and related products by Thai consumers in the U.S.

A study was conducted to identify perceptions of Thai consumers toward peanuts and related products using a food/food-use appropriateness matrix and to identify new peanut products that exhibit good potential for being accepted by Thais. Most respondents were highly educated young Thai adults who had resided in the U.S. for 4 years or less. Factor analysis of the matrix consisting of sixteen peanut and related products and fourteen use situations identified two food (snack food and every day food) and three use groups (general use, special occasion and value/convenience). The snack food group was deemed appropriate for special occasions and children, while the every day food group was appropriate for general use and when concern existed about value and convenience. The every day food group was also perceived as being appropriate for snacking. Three peanut-based products representing good potential for acceptance were identified as ice cream type, milk type and non-peanut butter spread type.     

Multiplication in egg yolk and survival in egg albumen of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis strains of phage types 4, 8, 13a, and 14b

Refrigeration of eggs is vital for restricting the multiplication of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis contaminants, but differences between Salmonella Enteritidis strains or phage types in their survival and multiplication patterns in egg contents might influence the effectiveness of refrigeration standards. The present study compared the abilities of 12 Salmonella Enteritidis isolates of four phage types (4, 8, 13a, and 14b) to multiply rapidly in egg yolk and to survive for several days in egg albumen. The multiplication of very small numbers of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated into yolk (approximately 10(1) CFU/ml) was monitored during 24 h of incubation at 25 degrees C, and the survival of much larger numbers of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated into albumen (approximately 10(5) CFU/ml) was similarly evaluated during the first 3 days of incubation at the same temperature. In yolk, the inoculated Salmonella Enteritidis strains multiplied to mean levels of approximately 10(3) CFU/ml after 6 h of incubation and 10(8) CFU/ml after 24 h. In albumen, mean levels of approximately 10(4) CFU/ml or more of Salmonella Enteritidis were maintained through 72 h. Although a few differences in multiplication and survival were observed between individual isolates, the overall range of values was relatively narrow, and no significant differences (P < 0.05) were evident among phage types.     

Prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and molecular characterization of Salmonella serovars in retail meat products

The prevalence of Salmonella was determined in chicken meat (n = 26), beef (n = 49), and pork (n = 56) collected from wholesale markets, retail stores, and traditional markets in Seoul, South Korea, in 2009. Antibiotic resistance was assessed, and the molecular subtypes of Salmonella isolates were ascertained using an automated repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) system (DiversiLab). A total of 18 Salmonella strains were isolated from 17 of 131 samples: 16 strains from each of 16 samples and 2 strains from the same pork sample. The prevalence of Salmonella from the retail meats was 2.0% in beef, 8.9% in pork, and 42.3% in chicken meat. Among 10 different serotypes, Salmonella enterica Panama was recovered from a beef sample, and Salmonella London and Salmonella Montevideo were the predominant serotypes from pork and chicken meat, respectively. The highest antibiotic resistance observed was to erythromycin (100%) followed by streptomycin (22.2%) and tetracycline and chloramphenicol (16.7%). Of the 18 isolates, 5 (27.8%) were resistant to two or more antibiotics, and 1 isolate from chicken meat was resistant to eight antibiotics, including cephalosporins. Differentiation between all of the Salmonella isolates except between Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella London was successfully performed with the automated rep-PCR system, indicating that it can be added to the toolbox for source tracking of foodborne pathogens associated with outbreaks.     

Use of capillary tubes and plate heat exchanger to validate U.S. Department of Agriculture pasteurization protocols for elimination of Salmonella enteritidis from liquid egg products

D values for a five-strain cocktail of Salmonella Enteritidis in five different liquid egg products (whole egg, egg yolk, egg white, egg yolk + 5% sucrose + 5% NaCl, and egg yolk + 10% NaCl) were determined using 100-microl capillary tubes. The egg products were inoculated with approximately 1 X 10(10) organisms/ml and heated in capillary tubes to temperatures ranging from 51 to 68 degrees C for various time intervals. Using a pilot scale plate heat exchanger, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) protocols for pasteurization were also evaluated using egg products inoculated with approximately 1 x 10(7) Salmonella Enteritidis/ml. Results of experiments with capillary tubes suggested that almost all processes would result in less than the 9D process recommended by the USDA. However, when the egg products were pasteurized using the plate heat exchanger, a greater than 9D process was achieved for Salmonella Enteritidis in all products except egg yolk containing 5% sucrose + 5% NaCl, which received approximately a 4D process.     

Modeling the thermal inactivation kinetics of heat-resistant Salmonella Enteritidis and Oranienburg in 10 percent salted liquid egg yolk

There is no suitable model for predicting thermal inactivation kinetics of Salmonella spp. for many types of liquid egg products, including salted liquid egg yolk, for use in updating U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pasteurization guidelines. This is because, in part, of the variations in Salmonella strains and the changes in the processing of liquid egg products over the past 40 years. The objectives of the present study were to determine the thermal inactivation kinetics and to create a general thermal inactivation kinetics model that can be used for estimating log reductions of salmonellae in 10% salted liquid egg yolk for temperatures between 62.2 and 69°C. This model can be used by processors to help ensure adequate pasteurization. This was accomplished by studying the inactivation kinetics of a three-strain composite of heat-resistant Salmonella serovars Enteritidis and Oranienburg, inoculated into commercially processed 10% salted liquid egg yolk. The survival curves were convex, with asymptotic D-values. From these curves, a general model was developed to predict log reductions for given times at specified temperatures. For example, at a temperature of 67.3°C (153.1°F) for 3.5 min, our model predicts a 5-log reduction would be obtained, whereas with the current USDA minimum required pasteurization regimen (63.33°C [146°F] for 3.5 min), our model predicts that a reduction of only 2.7 log would be obtained. The results of this study provide information that can be used by processors to aid in producing safe, pasteurized egg yolk products, and for satisfying USDA pasteurization performance standards and developing industry guidance.     

中国碳酸饮料市场动态

碳酸饮料所面临的压力不仅出现在象北美这样的饮料工业竞争最为频繁与激烈的国际市场中,在中国市场上,随着饮料工业发展的日趋成熟,碳酸饮料的发展也开始出现停滞的现象。以下是AC尼尔森通过对1997至2000年中国城镇饮料市场的跟踪得到的讯息。     

Multiplex PCR for the simultaneous detection of Salmonella spp. and Salmonella Enteritidis in food

Multiplex PCR assay (mPCR) for the detection of Salmonella spp. and S. Enteritidis was developed in this study using artificially contaminated chicken carcasses. The assay showed 100% specificity to detect approximately 1 CFU of Salmonella in 10 g of chicken skin after non‐selective enrichment. The mPCR was evaluated in Minas cheese, fresh pork sausage and chicken carcasses commercially available. Salmonella spp. was detected in nine of sixty‐six chicken carcasses, five of fifty‐two cheese samples, and five of fifty‐two sausage samples. The serovar Enteritidis was detected in two samples of contaminated sausage. The mPCR results were confirmed by conventional culture and biochemical identification of the isolates. Serotyping confirmed the presence of S. Enteritidis in sausage samples and showed contamination by serovars Schwarzengrund and Montevideo in chicken carcasses.     

Bacteriophage-based enrichment coupled to immunochromatographic strip-based detection for the determination of Salmonella in meat and poultry

Immunochemical-based methods for the detection of Salmonella in food can be complicated by the presence of closely related, immunocrossreactive non-Salmonella species in the sample that may cause false-positive results. To circumvent this problem, specific bacteriophages against immunocrossreactive, non-Salmonella bacteria were used in the sample enrichment step to suppress their growth and improve the performance of an immunochromatographic strip-based detection method for Salmonella. Cross-reactive bacteria were isolated from various food sources and were characterized with a panel of Salmonella somatic O antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies. These cross-reactive bacteria were primarily Citrobacter spp. and Escherichia coli with serology shared with Salmonella serogroups B, D, and F. These bacteria were used as hosts for the isolation of specific lytic bacteriophages. When formulated with the primary enrichment, the bacteriophage cocktail significantly reduced false positives with a broadly reactive immunochromatographic test strip. This was demonstrated in both artificially and naturally contaminated meat. False positives in naturally contaminated beef samples were reduced from 32 of 115 samples tested to zero. In raw meat and poultry with a relatively high bioburden (>10(5) CFU/g), the use of the bacteriophage-based enrichment procedure gave improved recovery of Salmonella compared with the conventional culture-based reference method. This was observed when coupled to either test strip-based or selective agar-based detection. The use of specific bacteriophages for the control of immunocrossreactive and competitive microflora during the food sample enrichment step provides a new approach for enhancing the performance of both immunological- and cultural-based detection methods.