Growth of Salmonella during sprouting of alfalfa seeds associated with salmonellosis outbreaks

Growth of Salmonella was assessed during sprouting of naturally contaminated alfalfa seeds associated with two outbreaks of salmonellosis. Salmonella was determined daily in sprouts and sprout rinse water samples by a three-tube most probable number (MPN) procedure and a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Growth of Salmonella in the sprouts was reflected in the rinse water, and the MPNs of the two samples were generally in agreement within approximately 1 log. The results from EIA testing of sprouts and water samples were also in agreement. The pathogen was present in the seed at less than 1 MPN/g, and it increased in number to maximum population levels of 102 to 10(3) MPN/g in one seed lot and 10(2) to 10(4) MPN/ g in the other seed lot. Maximum populations of the pathogen were apparent by day 2 of sprouting. These results show the ability of the pathogen to grow to detectable levels during the sprouting process, and they provide support for the recommendation to test the sprout water for the presence of pathogens 48 h after starting seed sprouting. The effectiveness of a 10-min, 20,0000-microg/ml (ppm) calcium hypochlorite treatment of the outbreak-associated seeds was studied. For both seed lots, the hypochlorite treatment caused a reduction, but not elimination, of Salmonella contamination in the finished sprouts. These results confirm the need to test each production batch for the presence of pathogens, even after 20,000 microg/ml (ppm) hypochlorite treatment of seeds, so that contaminated product is not distributed.     

陕西省某活鸡屠宰场肉鸡相关样品中沙门菌定量检测及污染分析

目的了解肉鸡屠宰加工中不同时间和环节沙门菌的污染情况,分析污染关键点。方法 2016年11月至2017年11月从陕西省某活鸡屠宰场不同环节定期采集活鸡肛拭子标本、整鸡胴体和鸡肉样品,使用最大可能数(MPN)法对沙门菌进行定量检测,同时分离菌株;采用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)技术对沙门菌进行鉴定,同时结合血清凝集技术对沙门菌鉴定结果进行确认。结果采集的284份样品中有67份检出沙门菌,检出率为23. 6%,平均MPN值为0. 051 6 MPN/g。2017年7月采集的样品沙门菌污染最为严重,检出率为37. 8%(14/37),平均MPN值为0. 064 7 MPN/g; 2016年11月检出率最低,为13. 9%(5/36),平均MPN值为0. 043 6 MPN/g。不同屠宰环节中,浸烫褪毛后整鸡胴体样品中沙门菌检出率最高(43. 3%,26/60),平均MPN值为0. 060 5 MPN/g;分割后冷冻前鸡胸脯肉样品中沙门菌检出率最低(18. 3%,11/60),平均MPN值为0. 036 8 MPN/g,略高于储存配送过程整鸡胴体/鸡胸脯肉样品中沙门菌的污染水平(0. 035 8 MPN/g)。结论活鸡屠宰过程沙门菌的检出率与MPN值具有较强的季节性,在不同屠宰加工环节存在纵向和交叉污染,应对活鸡屠宰加工过程沙门菌污染严重的环节进行重点控制。     

Salmonella in uncooked retail meats in New Zealand

A national quantitative survey of Salmonella in five types of uncooked retail meats in New Zealand was undertaken from August 2003 to May 2005 to establish baseline proportionality data. The overall prevalence of Salmonella in 1,108 meat samples was 1.1% (95% confidence interval, 0.6 to 1.9). Low prevalences of Salmonella in each meat type were observed, with 3% (1.2 to 6.1) in chicken, 1.3% (0.3 to 3.8) in lamb and mutton, 0.5% (0 to 3.0) in unweaned veal, 0.4% (0 to 2.4) in beef, and 0% (0 to 1.6) in pork. The Salmonella serotypes isolated were Salmonella Infantis from beef; Salmonella Typhimurium PT1 from unweaned veal and chicken; Salmonella sp. 6,7:k:-, Salmonella Enteritidis PT9a, Salmonella sp. 4,5,12:-:-, Salmonella sp. 4,12:-:-, and Salmonella Typhimurium PT160 from chicken; and Salmonella sp. 4:-:2 and Salmonella Brandenburg from lamb. Four of the isolates from chicken, Salmonella sp. 4,5,12:-:- (two isolates), Salmonella sp. 4,12:-:-, and Salmonella Typhimurium PT1, were very similar phenotypically and serologically to the attenuated Salmonella vaccine strain used in MeganVacl for poultry. One lamb sample yielded a count of Salmonella Brandenburg of 4.24 most probable number (MPN)/g, while all other positive samples were <1.0 MPN/g. The results provide baseline proportionality data for Salmonella in retail uncooked meats that will contribute invaluably toward future risk assessment in light of other information, such as consumption data that can be used for risk characterization.     

Prevalence, numbers, and subtypes of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in uncooked retail meat samples

A national quantitative survey of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in 1,011 uncooked retail meat samples (beef, unweaned veal, chicken, lamb and mutton, and pork) was undertaken from August 2003 to June 2004 to establish baseline proportionality data. The presence, number, and type of Campylobacter present in each sample was assessed. Prevalences of C. jejuni and C. coli were 89.1% in chicken, 9.1% in pork, 6.9% in lamb and mutton, 3.5% in beef, and 10% in unweaned veal. C. jejuni was identified in the majority of positive samples (246 of 259). In chicken samples positive for C. jejuni, 40.2% had counts of <0.3 most probable number (MPN)/g, 50.5% had 0.3 to 10.0 MPN/g, 8.8% had 10.1 to 50.0 MPN/g, and 0.5% had 110 MPN/g. In other meats (49 samples), Campylobacter counts were < or = 0.3 MPN/g, except for one unweaned veal sample at > 10.9 MPN/g. Penner serotyping and SmaI macrorestriction genotyping using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with 247 isolates revealed 17 Penner serotypes and 56 electrophoresis profiles. Seven Penner serotypes (HS1 complex, 2, 4 complex, 6, 11, 27, and 42) were represented by 10 or more isolates from chicken. When data from both typing methods were combined, 62 sero-genotypes were generated. In a comparison of these sero-genotypes with historical data for isolates from human cases, 71% of the beef isolates, 50% of the lamb and mutton isolates, 50% of the pork isolates, 41% of the chicken isolates, and 25% of the unweaned veal isolates were common to both sources. These results provide baseline proportionality profiles of Campylobacter in these five meats and will facilitate exposure assessment in combination with other information such as consumption data and subsequent quantitative risk assessment.     

Quantitative effect of refrigerated storage time on the enumeration of Campylobacter, Listeria, and Salmonella on artificially inoculated raw chicken meat

Active monitoring of pathogens on retail foods has been recommended and implemented in a number of developed countries. Because only a portion of retail food is contaminated with pathogens, a cost-effective and informative surveillance program at the retail level often involves a two-stage approach of initial presence-absence analysis and subsequent pathogen enumeration in any positive samples. Most-probable-number (MPN) methods are more resource intensive and therefore used only for samples considered positive by presence-absence methods. Interpretation of the results assumes that the initial bacterial count remains relatively stable between the initiation of the presence-absence analysis and the enumeration analysis. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of 4 degrees C storage for 5 and 8 days on pathogen counts on raw chicken. The three pathogens examined were Salmonella Typhimurium, Campylobacter jejuni, and Listeria monocytogenes. No significant differences were found between treatments for Salmonella and Campylobacter. However, significant differences were observed for Listeria; counts at day 0 were lower than counts after 5 or 8 days of refrigerated storage (the maximum mean difference was less than 0.6 log units). These findings suggest that a two-stage approach could overestimate the number of Listeria cells on chicken at the time of purchase. By using an MPN analysis on the presumptive positive samples after 5 days of refrigerated storage, this difference will be reduced. These findings support the decision to reduce surveillance costs by performing a two-stage analysis for Salmonella and Campylobacter on retail chicken. This study provides direction for future sampling or surveillance programs that include enumeration of Listeria on retail food.     

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella isolated from a variety of raw meat sausages in Gaborone (Botswana) retail stores

The objective of the study was to provide baseline data on the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella in different types of raw meat sausages directly accessible to the consumers in Gaborone, Botswana. A total of 300 raw sausages comprising 79 beef, 78 pork, 72 chicken, and 71 mutton samples were concurrently analyzed for the presence of Salmonella using a conventional culture method and a validated PCR method. The PCR assay results were in full concordance with those of the conventional culture method for the detection of Salmonella. Sixty-five (21.7%) of 300 samples were positive for Salmonella by both the conventional culture method and PCR assay. Even though more chicken samples contained Salmonella than did any other sausage type, the difference in the presence of Salmonella among the four sausages types was not significant. Eleven serotypes were identified, and Salmonella enterica subsp. salamae II was most prevalent in all the sausage types. Beef sausages generally had higher mesophilic bacterial counts than did the other three sausage types. However, higher microbial counts were not reflective of the presence of salmonellae. Susceptibility of the Salmonella enterica serotypes to 20 antimicrobial agents was determined, and Salmonella Muenchen was resistant to the widest array of agents and was mostly isolated from chicken sausages. Regardless of the meat of origin, all 65 Salmonella isolates were resistant to at least four antimicrobial agents: amikacin, gentamicin, cefuroxime, and tombramycin. This resistance profile group was the most common in all four sausage types, comprising 90% of all Salmonella isolates from beef, 71% from pork, 63% from mutton, and 35% from chicken. These results suggest that raw sausages pose a risk of transmitting multidrug-resistant Salmonella isolates to consumers.     

A simple method for the direct detection of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 from raw alfalfa sprouts and spent irrigation water using PCR

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognizes that raw seed sprouts are an important cause of foodborne disease and is now recommending that either spent irrigation water or final product be screened for Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 as a means of assuring the safety of product intended for consumption. In an effort to streamline such testing efforts, a simple method to preconcentrate pathogens from sprouts and spent irrigation water was investigated to facilitate the direct (without prior cultural enrichment) detection of pathogens using the PCR technique. Alfalfa sprouts and spent irrigation water were seeded with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 at 10(-1) to 106 CFU/g or CFU/ml, respectively. Samples were blended (sprouts only) and then centrifuged at high speed to sediment the total bacterial population. The precipitate was processed for DNA isolation, PCR amplification, and amplicon confirmation by Southern hybridization. Mean pathogen recoveries after centrifugation ranged from 96 to 99% for both pathogens in both matrices. Using primers targeting the invA gene for Salmonella Typhimurium and the stx genes of E. coli O157:H7, it was possible to detect both pathogens in alfalfa sprouts at seeding concentrations as low as 10 CFU/g. PCR detection limits for both pathogens from spent irrigation water were 10(-1) CFU/ml, the equivalent of 100 CFU/liter of water. Because spent irrigation water is constitutionally simple, it is particularly well suited for bacterial concentration by simple centrifugation steps. In this study, progress was made toward development of a rapid, inexpensive, and sensitive method for the detection of sprout-associated pathogens that is relevant to current industrial practices and needs.     

DETECTION OF SALMONELLAE IN CHICKEN AND FISH SAMPLES USING DNA PROBE

The use of DNA probes for rapid identification of foodborne pathogens is an emerging field. We have standardized a method for the detection of Salmonella in food samples by using a specific insertion sequence (IS-200) of Salmonella chromosomal DNA as the probe. The procedure for colony hybridization, and washing conditions for the stringency were established. All the ten Salmonella strains, belonging to various serotypes tested were positive while 18 other bacterial cultures, mainly belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae such as E. coli Shigella, Proteus etc., were negative in colony hybridization. The sensitivity of the detection was found to be 10⁵ cfu using ³²P-labeled probe. We surveyed 16 chicken and 6 fish samples from local market using IS-200 probe after preenrichment and selective enrichment. All the samples tested were found positive with DNA probe. The major strains of Salmonella isolated from these samples were S. gallinarum, S. typhimurium, S. enteritidis, S. choleraesuis and S. paratyphi A. These results were confirmed by standard Salmonella identification method.     

电子鼻快速检测区分羊肉中的掺杂鸡肉

为实现掺假羊肉的快速、客观检测,利用电子鼻定性和定量分析混入鸡肉的掺假羊肉糜。单因素试验表明顶空体积、载气流速、样品量和顶空生成时间对电子鼻传感器的响应影响极显著;主成分分析确定了电子鼻检测的较佳条件：样品量10 g、载气流速200 mL/min、顶空容积250 mL及顶空生成时间30 min。在此条件下检测混入鸡肉的掺假羊肉,结果发现采用主成分分析时,掺入鸡肉的比例随主成分一降低而增大,但相邻比例彼此重叠,难以有效区分;采用典则判别分析时,混入不同比例鸡肉的羊肉糜样品能较好地区分;采用主成分回归分析和偏最小二乘回归分析建立的定量预测模型（R2>0.95）能有效预测混入的鸡肉比例。电子鼻在混入鸡肉的掺假羊肉鉴别中具有可行性,论文可为羊肉掺假鉴别提供理论依据。     

MPN法的原理与局限性分析

<正> 1915年,McCrady首次发表了用MPN法(最大可能数法)来估算细菌浓度的方法,这是一种应用概率理论来估算细菌浓度的方法。目前,我国仍普遍将MPN法用于大肠菌群,大肠杆菌等的检测。因此了解MPN法的原理及局限性,对实验室的微生物检测及食品工业的微生物控制都有着重要的指导作用。     

Prevalence and amounts of Salmonella found on raw California almonds

Data on the prevalence and populations of pathogens in individual foods are critical to the development of product-specific quantitative microbial risk assessments. An outbreak of salmonellosis associated with the consumption of raw almonds in 2000 to 2001 provided an opportunity to evaluate the levels of Salmonella in the recalled product. Duplicate 100-g samples from each of fifty 22.7-kg boxes of recalled almonds were enriched by one of two methods. Salmonella was isolated by at least one method from 42 boxes (84% positive). The levels of Salmonella determined by a three-tube most-probable-number (MPN) method were 8.5+/-1.3 MPN/100 g. In a subsequent study, raw almonds that arrived at almond processors were sampled from 2001 through 2005 to determine the overall prevalence and levels of Salmonella and to characterize the Salmonella isolates obtained. Aerobic plate counts, coliform counts, and MPN levels of Escherichia coli were also determined on positive samples. An isolation frequency for Salmonella of 81 (0.87%+/-0.2%) of 9,274 samples tested (100 g) was determined for raw almonds sampled from throughout California over the 5-year period. Salmonella was not isolated upon retesting in 59 of 65 positive samples. When detected, levels were 1.2 to 2.9 MPN/100 g. Of the 81 total isolates, 35 different serotypes of Salmonella were represented. Aerobic plate counts, coliform counts, and E. coli levels did not correlate with the presence of Salmonella.     

Comparison of different sampling techniques and enumeration methods for the isolation and quantification of Campylobacter spp. in raw retail chicken legs

Comparable quantitative data of Campylobacter spp. on chicken products are a major data lack for quantitative risk assessment approaches. The objective of this study was to compare two different sampling techniques for the isolation and enumeration of Campylobacter spp. in chicken and to evaluate a suitable enumeration method comparing the most probable number (MPN) technique to the direct plating method. For this, 90 packages containing at least two raw chicken legs were examined for the comparison of sampling techniques, rinsing one leg and homogenizing 25 g of skin of the other leg of each package; both sample preparation types were examined by direct plating method and MPN technique in 40 out of 90 packages. Of the skin samples, 70% (63/90), and of the rinse samples, 77% (69/90), were Campylobacter-positive. Enumeration of Campylobacter spp. by direct plating revealed a median of log 4 cfu/leg surface in skin samples (S.D.=0.6) and a median of log 4.3 cfu/leg surface in rinse samples (S.D.=0.9) of the rinse samples; 73% (37/51) had higher numbers of Campylobacter spp. than the skin samples although the difference was not significant (p=0.08). The correlation coefficient of Campylobacter counts in skin and rinse samples was 0.43. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in rinse samples was 58% (23/40). In 5% (2/40) of the rinse samples, numbers of Campylobacter spp. could be detected only by the MPN technique due to the lower detection limit compared to the direct plating method. The MPN technique turned out to be unsuitable for the enumeration of Campylobacter spp. in skin samples because a layer formation on the top of the incubated MPN-tubes leads to irregular MPN results. Out of 80% (16/20) of the compared rinse samples, the direct plating detected higher numbers of Campylobacter spp., with a median count of log 4.2 cfu/leg surface (S.D.=1) compared the MPN technique where a median of log 4 cfu/leg surface (S.D.=1.1) was obtained. The difference was not significant (p=0.05). A highly positive correlation coefficient of 0.9 was observed between the direct plating and the MPN technique. Both sampling methods, rinsing the chicken leg and homogenizing the skin, are suitable for the detection and quantification of Campylobacter spp.; the direct plating method was superior to the MPN technique for enumerating Campylobacter spp. in raw chicken legs at retail level because enumeration is more rapid and less laborious.     

Most-probable-number determination of salmonella levels in naturally contaminated raw almonds using two sample preparation methods

Pathogens occurring in particulate foods may be unevenly distributed, which may impact interpretation of most-probable-number (MPN) values. The MPN analysis of Salmonella in naturally contaminated raw almonds was conducted using two sample preparation methods. Raw almond kernels (3,698 samples) and inshell almonds (455 samples) were collected from almond processors throughout California during the 2006 and 2007 harvests, and 100-g samples were enriched for Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella on kernels and inshell almonds was 1.6 and 0.9%, respectively, in 2006, and 0.83 and 2.2%, respectively, in 2007. Almond kernel samples from 2006 were further enriched for Salmonella, and levels of the organism were determined for positive samples by three-tube MPN analysis (25 g, 2.5 g, 0.25 g). Almonds were either divided into subsamples prior to blending and enrichment (method A), or samples were blended in enrichment broth prior to preparation of subsamples (method B). Salmonella was not isolated (<1.2 MPN/100 g) upon retesting of 19 of 31 (method A) or 23 of 29 (method B) positive samples. When detected, levels were 1.4 to 15.5 MPN/100 g (average 2.3 MPN/100 g) or 1.4 to 18.3 MPN/100 g (average 2.1 MPN/100 g) using methods A or B, respectively. A total of 23 different Salmonella serovars were identified from the original almond samples. Salmonella Muenchen was the most frequently isolated serovar (15%) from the 53 Salmonella-positive samples, followed by Newport (12%), Enteritidis (10%), and Typhimurium (8%). No correlation was found between presence of Salmonella and E. coli levels, aerobic plate counts, or counts of yeasts or molds.     

Simulation model for enumeration of Salmonella on chicken as a function of PCR detection time score and sample size: implications for risk assessment

A data gap commonly identified in risk assessments is the lack of quantitative information on the contamination of food with pathogens. A simulation model that predicts the incidence and distribution of Salmonella contamination on chicken as a function of PCR detection time score and sample size was developed with data from challenge studies with preenrichment samples that were composed of 25 g of chicken and 225 ml of buffered peptone water inoculated with 10(0.7) to 10(6) Salmonella and incubated at 37 degrees C. At 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 h of incubation, subsamples were collected and tested for Salmonella by PCR, and a PCR detection time score based on the widths of the bands in the electrophoresis gel was obtained for each preenrichment sample. Standard curves relating PCR detection time score to initial density of Salmonella inoculated were developed for sterile and nonsterile preenrichment samples. Presence of other microorganisms in the preenrichment sample decreased the PCR detection time score at low (<10(2) per 25 g) but not at high (>10(2) per 25 g) initial densities of Salmonella and resulted in a nonlinear standard curve rather than the linear standard curve obtained for sterile samples. The predicted incidence and distribution of Salmonella contamination on chicken increased in a nonlinear manner as sample size increased from 25 to 500 g. The new method reduced the time and cost of Salmonella enumeration by eliminating the selective enrichment, selective plating, and confirmation steps of the traditional most-probable-number method. Results are useful for risk assessment because they consider the uncertainty of the standard curve predictions and because they provide distributions of Salmonella contamination for different size samples of chicken that can be directly used in risk assessment.     

mini-MPN-STE-qPCR法快速定量检测食品中沙门氏菌

目的 建立一种快速、简易、可定量检测食源性沙门氏菌定量PCR(quantitative PCR, qPCR)方法。方法 依据沙门菌属invA基因序列设计染料法qPCR引物, 建立基于嵌合荧光法的沙门氏菌qPCR检测方法, 并通过短时间增菌(short time enrichment, STE)的5管微型多管发酵计数法（mini-most probable number, mini-MPN）进行定量检测, 构建mini-MPN-STE-qPCR法。使用人工污染的鸡肉混合液进行定量检测, 检测结果与传统MPN计数法和平板计数法进行比较分析。结果 建立的 qPCR法特异性良好, 方法灵敏度为50 CFU/mL, 结合48孔板min-MPN和4h 短时间增菌建立的mini-MPN-STE-qPCR法可将整个检测流程缩短至7 h。人工添加沙门氏菌的鸡肉混合液检测结果表明方法检出限为-0.347 log MPN/mL, Bland-Altman分析结果显示, 此法与传统MPN计数法相关系数R2=0.994, 与平板计数法相关系数R2=0.992。结论 该方法准确、简单易行、成本低、灵敏度高, 可用于食品中沙门菌的快速定量检测。     

青岛市屠宰场整鸡中沙门菌污染水平定量检测及耐药性分析

目的调查青岛市规模化肉鸡屠宰场屠宰后整鸡样品中沙门菌的污染及抗生素耐药谱分布状况。方法2014年10~12月在青岛市选择2家规模化肉鸡屠宰场,采用胴体漂洗法定量检测3次共采集的141份屠宰后整鸡样品中沙门菌,根据Kauffmann-White表对沙门菌菌株进行血清学鉴定,应用微量肉汤稀释法检测菌株对11种抗生素的耐药性。结果整鸡样品沙门菌总体污染率为74.5%(105/141),污染水平3.6~1 100 MPN/100 g,中位数为43 MPN/100 g;共分离355株沙门菌,血清型分布为肠炎沙门菌220株,印第安纳沙门菌88株和阿贡纳沙门菌19株,以及其他型28株。355株沙门菌分离株的总体耐药率为90.4%(321/355),萘啶酸(NAL)耐药率最高(88.7%,315/355)。220株肠炎沙门菌中219株(99.5%)耐药,6株(2.7%)为多重耐药株,优势耐药谱为奈啶酸(156株)。88株印第安纳沙门菌均耐药,85株为多重耐药株,优势耐药谱为庆大霉素-氯霉素-环丙沙星-萘啶酸-氨苄西林-青霉烷砜/氨苄西林-头孢他啶-头孢噻肟-复方新诺明。19株阿贡纳沙门菌除1株对奈啶酸耐药外,其余18株对所测试11种抗生素均敏感。结论青岛市肉鸡屠宰场沙门菌污染率较高,血清型以肠炎沙门菌、印第安纳沙门菌和阿贡纳沙门菌为主。沙门菌总体耐药率较高,并呈现多重耐药性趋势。     

Comparative analysis of a modified rapid presence/absence test and the standard MPN method for detectingEscherichia coli in orange juice

A modified rapid presence/absence test was evaluated and compared to the standard most probable number (MPN) method for detecting Escherichia coli in artificially contaminated orange juice. In each of the four experiments conducted, pasteurized and unpasteurized orange juice samples were seeded with one of the three different strains ofE. coli , at levels ranging from 0·4 to 6·5 cfu ml⁻¹. The samples were also seeded with 360–510 cfu ml⁻¹ of other enteric bacteria to simulate background flora. Samples were analysed by the MPN method for E. coli and by the modified ColiComplete (CC) presence/absence test in E. coli (EC) broth at 44·5°C, after pre-enriching 10 ml of juice samples in Universal Pre-enrichment Broth for 24 h (modified CC method). Of the 12 comparative analyses performed, E. coli was detected in all 12 tests by the modified CC method and, furthermore, showed the presence of E. coli in 59 of the 60 (98·3%) orange juice replicates that were examined. In contrast, the standard MPN method was only able to quantify detectable levels of E. coli in eight of 12 tests. The modified CC procedure was faster, required less media and reagents, enabled analysis of 10 ml samples and was more reliable than the standard MPN method for determining the presence or absence of E. coli in artificially contaminated orange juice.     

基于ttr基因的mini-MPN-qLAMP法快速定量检测食品中沙门氏菌

该研究通过3管型微量MPN计数法（Mini Most Probable Number,mini-MPN）建立了一种快速定量检测食源性沙门氏菌的荧光定量环介导等温扩增（Quantitative Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification,qLAMP）方法。依据沙门菌属ttr基因设计了qLAMP和荧光定量PCR（Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction,qPCR）引物,结合5 h BPW增菌和MPN计数法建立了mini-MPN-qLAMP沙门氏菌快速定量检测方法;使用两种人工污染样品对mini-MPN-qLAMP法进行验证,使用Bland-Altman分析比较不同检测方法检测结果的一致性。结果表明,建立的qLAMP法与qPCR法反应特异性均良好,纯培养时qLAMP法检出限为500 CFU/mL。通过Bland-Altman分析表明所建立的mini-MPN-qLAMP法在速冻乌米饭中检测结果与mini-MPN-qPCR、mini-MPN计数法、平板计数法相比均具有较高的一致性,r2≥0.994,检出限为-0.44 lg MPN/mL;而在速冻鸡胸肉中该法检测结果与mini-MPN-qPCR结果一致性最佳,r2=0.990,检出限为-0.64 lg MPN/mL。肉制品中腐败杂菌会影响mini-MPN计数和平板计数结果,mini-MPN-qLAMP可排除肉制品中腐败杂菌对检测结果的影响。该研究所建立的mini-MPN-qLAMP法简单易行,准确度高,可用于食品中沙门氏菌的快速定量检测。     

Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella in ready-to-eat food in Catalonia, Spain

Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella are pathogenic bacteria that can contaminate food products during or after processing. Ready-to-eat (RTE) food does not undergo any treatment to ensure its safety before consumption, and therefore risk of foodborne disease must be considered if these pathogens are present in the food. To evaluate the prevalence of these pathogens in RTE food, 140 RTE fish product samples, 501 RTE meat product samples, 462 RTE dairy samples, and 123 RTE dishes and desserts, providing a total of 1,226 samples, were collected from retail stores and food industry and analyzed for the presence of L. monocytogenes. A total of 1,379 samples consisting of 187 RTE fish products and 569 RTE meat products, 484 RTE dairy products, and 139 RTE dishes and desserts were collected and analyzed for the presence of Salmonella. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 20% of frozen Atlantic bonito small pies, 7.9% of smoked salmon samples, 11.1% of the pork luncheon meat samples, 6.2% of frozen chicken croquettes, 16.9% of cured dried sausage samples, 12.5% of cooked ham samples, and 20% of cooked turkey breast samples. L. monocytogenes was also found to be present in 1.3% of fresh salty cheese samples and 15.1% of frozen cannelloni samples. Salmonella was isolated from 1.2% of smoked salmon samples, 1.5% of frozen chicken croquettes, 2% of cooked ham samples, and 11.1% of cured dried sausage samples. Overall, occurrence of these pathogens in RTE foods was similar to that previously reported in the literature.     

Comparison of different most-probable-number methods for enumeration of Listeria in poultry

To estimate levels of Listeria spp. in poultry and to select the most appropriate enumeration method for routine analysis, 40 naturally contaminated retail chicken carcasses were tested in Ponferrada (León, N.W. Spain) using the direct plate count technique and various most-probable-number (MPN) designs (UVM I [University of Vermont modified Listeria enrichment broth], Fraser enrichment broth, or both were used in 3-, 5-, and 10-tube MPN techniques). MPN estimation was obtained from the number of tubes with Listeria confirmed (after streaking on PALCAM and modified Oxford agars: "true" MPN) and from the number of dark Fraser broth tubes ("predictive" MPN). Samples were analyzed in duplicate. Low levels of Listeria were found (< 110 CFU/g). The direct plate count technique was totally ineffective for enumerating Listeria in poultry. The single-step (UVM I) and the two-step (UVM I-Fraser) MPN methods gave comparable estimations and a low number of significantly discrepant predictions. Using a single-step method with Fraser broth, lower true MPNs were obtained. The number of tubes used (3, 5, or 10) did not have a substantial influence on the results. Similar estimations, highly correlated (r = 0.538 to 0.968; P < 0.001), were found with (true MPN) and without (predictive MPN) plating confirmation when using the two-step MPN method. The statistical evaluation of the differential character of Fraser broth as part of the two-step MPN method showed high sensitivity (87.5 to 92.5%), specificity (95.2 to 98.6%), efficiency (94.2 to 97.6%), and predictive values (73.6 to 89.9% for a positive test and 98.0 to 98.9% for a negative test). Taking into account these results, we suggest the convenience of using a 3- or 5-tube two-step (UVM I-Fraser) MPN method with estimations obtained from the number of tubes with darkening, without confirmation, in order to achieve great savings in time and money.