How a routine checking of Escherichia coli in retailed food of animal origin can protect consumers against exposition to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes?

BACKGROUND/AIM: According to the literature that has been published over the last two decades Campylobacter spp i Listeria monocitogens can be identified as causes of numerous diseases derived by consuming food of animal origin. The purpose of this paper was to find out how established national microbiological criteria of the Republic of Serbia on food safety in retailed food of animal origin could contribute to consumer's protection against exposition to foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. METHODS: During a routine microbiological safety control of randomly selected 60 samples of fresh poultry meat, 30 samples of other fresh meat readymade for grilling, 30 samples of sausage products, 37 samples of heat-treated meat, 39 samples of toppings for fast food of animal origin and 31 samples of dairy products a national food safety criteria (Escherichia coli, aerobic plate count, Salmonella spp., coagulasa positive Staphylococcus, Proteus spp., sulphito-reducting Clostridia) were applied and, as well as, testing to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocitogens. In determination of Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, food quality control methods of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) were applied, while in determination of the other above motioned bacteria, national provisions on microbiological methods were applied who are adjusted to the FAO ones. RESULTS: Related to the national criteria on microbiological food safety, 88 (38.8%) samples, out of the total 227 tested, were rejected. When to these results, the results of laboratory tests on Listeria monocytogens were added, a terminal number of rejected samples were not changed. When to these results, the results of Campylobacter spp. testing were added, 91 (40.1%) out of the 227 samples were unsatisfied. Results of logistic regression model with occurrence of Escherichia coli as dependent variable indicated that Escherichia coli was 4.5 times likely to occur among samples with Campylobacter spp. than among samples without Campylobacter spp. (OR = 4.515, 95% CI: 1.019-20.002). Sensitivity of the fitted model (Hosmer-Lemeshowp = 0.268) was 76.8% and its specificity was 75.0%. At the same time Escherichia coli was confound in all (100%) food samples that were contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. CONCLUSION: Statistical analysis indicated that Escherichia coli was completely sensitive to identify all samples contaminated with Listeria monocytogenas and highly sensitive to identify samples contaminated with Campylobacter spp. Nevertheless, 3 (1.3%) of the tested samples were not covered with Escherichia coli.

[Medical nutrition therapy planning].

INTRODUCTION: Diet has vital, preventive and therapeutic functions. Medical nutrition therapy is a part of the Standardized Nutrition Care Process integrated in health care systems. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An overview of the Nutrition Care Process model and the application of nutrition guidelines based on literature, reports, documents and programmes of international health, food and physical activity authorities was done. RESULTS: The Nutrition Care Process model requires registered dieticians, standardized terminology as well as nutrition diagnosis categorization. It consists of four distinct, but interrelated and connected steps: (a) nutrition assessment, (b) nutrition diagnosis, (c) nutrition intervention, and (d) nutrition monitoring and evaluation. An individual approach is essential for successful medical nutrition therapy. Nutrition guidelines facilitate the process of understanding and application of medical nutrition therapy. CONCLUSION: The Nutrition Care process provides dietetic professionals information on high-quality client nutrition care. The success of medical nutrition therapy rests not only upon the advice of the dietician, but also upon the client's compliance.

[Health and environment].

INTRODUCTION: The Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, is responsible for undergraduate and graduate courses in the field of preventive medicine. The principal task of physicians in the 21st century is to provide health promotion and desease prevention. In the future, evaluation of physician knowledge and competence will be predominantly based on patients' health conditions. HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT: Human health is a result of long-term interaction between human genome and the environment. Good human health requires permanent control of health conditions as well as control of environmental health hazards. Various environmental factors, such as physical, chemical, biological, social and economic, affect the population health. Air, drinking water and food are fundamental to the existence of life of all living beings on Earth, and therefore they have enormous influence on the health of individuals and populations. CONCLUSION: The significance of the above mentioned requirements, essential for human health, is the reason why the Department of Hygiene conducted an investigation on the quality of air, food and water (water is a foodstuff as well) in Vojvodina.