Satu Salo

Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from the meat, poultry and seafood industries by automated ribotyping

A total of 564 Listeria monocytogenes isolates were characterized by automated ribotyping. The samples were taken from equipment, personnel and the environment after cleaning procedures and during food processing, as well as from raw materials and products from six meat, two poultry and five seafood processing plants located in the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Altogether, 25 different ribotypes (RTs) were generated. Two RTs occurred in the samples from all three food sectors--meat, poultry and seafood. Four RTs occurred in meat and poultry plant samples and other four RTs occurred in meat and seafood plant samples. Five RTs occurred only in meat plant samples, five only in poultry plant samples and five only in seafood plant samples. Eight of the thirteen plants had their own in-house L. monocytogenes ribotype. There was geographical differences between the RTs, but no correlation between RTs and food sectors was detected. The discrimination power of automated ribotyping was satisfactory to trace the contamination sources in the food processing plants clearly indicating the sites at which improved cleaning procedures were necessary. In addition, it was possible to screen a large number of isolates with two instruments located at different institutes and to make a reliable combination of the results.

Evaluation of surface contamination and the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in fish processing factories.

The main objective of this study was to determine the level of surface contamination in fish processing factories and the presence of Listeria in the factory environment and products. Another objective was evaluation of the different hygiene-monitoring methods. Total aerobic heterotrophic and enterobacteria, yeast and mold samples were collected and ATP levels measured in 28 factories. The number of well or adequately washed and disinfected factories was small (2 of 28), in terms of total aerobic heterotrophic bacterial counts on the surfaces. Most surfaces contaminated with bacteria were heavily contaminated. Results of the ATP and the total bacteria contact agar slide methods were poorly correlated (r = 0.21) although 68% of the samples were categorized as good to moderate or unacceptable with both methods. The Listeria-positive surface samples usually contained increased numbers of total bacteria (70.9%). The contamination of products and raw fish together with Listeria spp. was 45% and with Listeria monocytogenes 12%. Cold smoked fish was the most contaminated, with 75% Listeria spp. and cold salted fish with 20% L. monocytogenes. Listeria innocua was found in the samples more than twice as often as L. monocytogenes.

A microbiological screening method for the indication of irradiation of frozen poultry meat

ZusammenfassungEs wurde ein mikrobiologisches Verfahren zum Nachweis der Bestrahlung von tiefgefrorenem Hühnerfleisch auf der Basis kombinierten Einsatzes direkter Epifluoreszenzfiltertechnik (DEFT) und Kolonieauszählung (APC) entwickelt. Die Proben - knochenfreie, zerkleinerte Hühnerschenkel - waren entweder unbestrahlt oder mit einem Elektronenbeschleuninger mit Dosen von 3, 5 bzw. 7 kGy bestrahlt worden. Alle Proben waren vor der Bestrahlung eingefroren worden. Die Mittelwerte der Differenzen zwischen den DEFT- und den APC-Ergebnissen betrugen bei den unbestrahlten Proben 1,14 logarithmische Einheiten und bei den mit 3, 5 bzw. 7 kGy bestrahlten Proben 3,16, 3,68 bzw. 3,79 logarithmische Einheiten. Die Differenz von wenigstens zwei logarithmischen Einheiten kann als Grenze für die Möglichkeit eines Nachweises eventueller Bestrahlung betrachtet werden und macht weitere Untersuchungen erforderlich.AbstractA microbiological screening method for the detection of irradiation of frozen poultry meat was developed on the basis of the combined use of total cell count by the direct epifluorescent filter technique (DEFT) and viable cell count by the aerobic plate count method (APC). Samples of ground, deboned poultry leg were irradiated or not with dose levels of 3, 5 and 7 kGy using an electron beam accelerator. All samples were frozen before the irradiation treatment. The average values of the differences between DEFT and APC counts in control samples and those irradiated with doses of 3, 5 and 7 kGy were 1.14 log units for control samples, and 3.16, 3.68 and 3.79 log units for the irradiated samples. A difference of at least 2 log units can therefore be considered as a limit value indicating probable irradiation treatment necessitating further investigations.

Ultrasonic cleaning applications in dairies

Purpose – The purpose of these studies was to investigate the cleaning and hygiene of plastic cheese moulds and plastic transportation crates and to assess the suitability of ultrasonication for cleaning these dairy devices on a pilot scale and to optimise these cleaning procedures.Design/methodology/approach – The contamination load in the various process lines was monitored by use of chemical methods, i.e. EDTA titration and COD measurement for organic residues and various microbiological techniques for microbial contaminants. Ultrasonication cleaning procedures for cheese moulds were planned among parameters applicable to the process environment. The Taguchi method design of experiments was also used for the cleaning of milk transportation crates.Findings – Ultrasonication was found to be a suitable cleaning method for both cheese moulds and transportation crates. Acceptable cleaning results were achieved using short cleaning procedures with a temperature under 60°C. Various types of cleaning agents ca...

Improving the cleaning of tanks.

Publisher Summary Hygiene is important in all processes, because the production cannot be run if it is possible that microbes would infiltrate the process through surfaces and equipment that are used in association with the tank. Contamination on tank surfaces can be fatal to the product quality due to long processing times with nutritious raw materials, where microbial growth leads to discarding large product batches. It has been proved that specific hydrodynamic parameters control cleaning in closed process systems. The fluid flows are important both in production and in cleaning. Computational Fluid Dynamics [“CFD”] is a tool for improving the hygienic design of equipment components and their integration into the process line. The hygienic state of tanks is important in order to avoid contamination of the end product and, therefore, tank cleaning is receiving increasing attention. The specific cases studied comprise dairy- and brewery-process tanks. CFD is used in many applications to model the bulk parameters of fluid flows. Recently, model developments have made it possible to resolve what happens in specific positions on and near walls, which is of interest in the study of cleaning processes. CFD models of tanks exist for purposes of optimizing the operation of processes such as mixing, heating, and cooling.

Deposition of respiratory virus pathogens on frequently touched surfaces at airports

BackgroundInternational and national travelling has made the rapid spread of infectious diseases possible. Little information is available on the role of major traffic hubs, such as airports, in the transmission of respiratory infections, including seasonal influenza and a pandemic threat. We investigated the presence of respiratory viruses in the passenger environment of a major airport in order to identify risk points and guide measures to minimize transmission.MethodsSurface and air samples were collected weekly at three different time points during the peak period of seasonal influenza in 2015–16 in Finland. Swabs from surface samples, and air samples were tested by real-time PCR for influenza A and B viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus and coronaviruses (229E, HKU1, NL63 and OC43).ResultsNucleic acid of at least one respiratory virus was detected in 9 out of 90 (10%) surface samples, including: a plastic toy dog in the children’s playground (2/3 swabs, 67%); hand-carried luggage trays at the security check area (4/8, 50%); the buttons of the payment terminal at the pharmacy (1/2, 50%); the handrails of stairs (1/7, 14%); and the passenger side desk and divider glass at a passport control point (1/3, 33%). Among the 10 respiratory virus findings at various sites, the viruses identified were: rhinovirus (4/10, 40%, from surfaces); coronavirus (3/10, 30%, from surfaces); adenovirus (2/10, 20%, 1 air sample, 1 surface sample); influenza A (1/10, 10%, surface sample).ConclusionsDetection of pathogen viral nucleic acids indicates respiratory viral surface contamination at multiple sites associated with high touch rates, and suggests a potential risk in the identified airport sites. Of the surfaces tested, plastic security screening trays appeared to pose the highest potential risk, and handling these is almost inevitable for all embarking passengers.