Properties of encapsulated raspberry powder and its efficacy for improving the pH, colour quality and shelf life of modified atmosphere packaged chicken nuggets.

1. Recent research has shown that encapsulated raspberry powder (RP) is a natural colourant for foodstuffs. However, no research has been conducted on its use in chicken nuggets. In addition, the effect of RP on products with and without phosphate addition is unknown. This study assessed the effects of RP (control, 0.5%, 1.0%) and phosphate (0.0%, 0.3%) on the pH and colour quality properties of nuggets.2. In the production of RP, red raspberry (Rubus ideaus L.) juices were encapsulated using maltodextrin in a spray-dryer. Antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin, total phenolics, colour, moisture and pH analyses of the RP were performed.3. Nuggets were packaged in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 40%CO2 + 60%N2) and were stored at 2.0 ± 0.5°C for 120 d. The pH and external and internal surface colour (L*, a*, b*, C* and h) values were measured on d 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 of storage.4. The addition of phosphate increased the pH in the samples, while these decreased with the addition of RP (p < 0.05). During storage, the highest pH were seen in the phosphate samples and the lowest in the nuggets with 1.0% RP addition (p < 0.05).5. With the addition of phosphate, the external surface a* value of nuggets increased (p < 0.05). Depending on the level of RP added to the nuggets, the external surface L* value decreased and a* and b* values increased (p < 0.05). After d 30 of storage, the a* value increased in the samples with RP addition and this increase was higher in the with phosphate nuggets (p < 0.05).6. The internal surface a* value increased with the addition of RP during nugget production (p < 0.05). The increase in a* value was greater in samples with added phosphate (p < 0.05). During storage, the highest a* values were seen in nuggets treated with phosphate + 0.1% RP (p < 0.05). The addition of RP to chicken nugget emulsion improved redness, colour stability and shelf life.

A microbial inhibition assay in microplates using Bacillus licheniformis for detection of enrofloxacin and sulfamethazine in chicken spiked kidney, liver and muscle tissues.

BACKGROUND: The presence of antimicrobial drugs residues in animal products at levels higher than the maximum residue level (MRL) may have adverse effects on consumer health such as allergic reactions and resistance development. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor animal products for the presence of antimicrobial residues. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the detection limit of microbial inhibition assay (MIA) in microplate by using of Bacillus licheniformis as indicator microorganism for two antibiotics, enrofloxacin (ENR) and sulfamethazine (SMT), in broiler chicken's kidney, liver and muscle tissue samples. METHODS: Spiked tissues samples for the two antibiotics were analysed separately by this method. The results of the assay were evaluated by the determination of the absorbance after mean 3.47 h of incubation at 45°C. RESULTS: Results showed that the detection limits of MIA for ENR and SMT in kidney (124.03 and 23.21 µg/kg, respectively) and liver (90.02 and 62.03 µg/kg, respectively) as well as SMT in muscle (46.95 µg/kg) were lower than EU (European Union) - MRL, whereas the detection limit for ENR in muscle was slightly higher than MRL (136.3 µg/kg compared to 100 µg/kg MRL). Furthermore, the MIA in the current study was found to be more sensitive to SMT than ENR (92% and 88% sensitivity rate, respectively). No false-positive was observed in the assay. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, the MIA investigated in this study had the potential to detect ENR and SMT residues in broiler chicken kidney, liver and muscle tissues at levels below or close to EU - MRL but offered lower capability for the detection of ENR compared with SMT in kidney and muscle tissue samples.

Enterotoxigenicity and genetic relatedness of Staphylococcus aureus in a commercial poultry plant and poultry farm.

Raw (fresh) and frozen poultry products are frequently associated with Staphylococcus aureus contamination. New Zealand is among the developed countries with high incidences of staphylococcal food poisoning. The study investigated the S. aureus isolates obtained from various stages of poultry production, to determine the primary source of contamination. Viable cell counts of S. aureus were enumerated using Petrifilm™ Staph Express Count Plates, and the isolates were confirmed by Gram-stain and coagulase-positive test. Sixty S. aureus isolates were further confirmed by PCR. The PCR analysis used primers that specifically amplifies a fragment of the femA gene, unique to S. aureus. The confirmed S. aureus strains were further examined for enterotoxigenicity by PCR. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) was then used to identify sequence types (STs) of the sixty isolates of S. aureus. The relatedness of the sequence types was investigated by eBURST. In this study, it was observed that all samples from the processing plant and live chickens at the farm were contaminated by S. aureus. Fifty-nine (59) of the 60 isolates were enterotoxigenic carrying enterotoxin genes: seg, sei, seh, sek, sel, sem, sen, or seo. The sixty isolates were categorised into six different sequence types: ST5, ST2594, ST101, ST83, ST398, ST1; where ST5, ST83 and ST2594 belonged to the Clonal Complex (CC) 5 with ST5 being the clonal ancestor. The sources of S. aureus contamination in the final poultry products were linked to fresh mechanically separated meat, fresh skin, fresh skin-on-breast fillet, rubber fingers on mechanical pluckers, and live chickens at the farm. The skin of live chickens at the farm was most likely the origin of S. aureus contamination on equipment and final products. Not all identified S. aureus strains at the farm were observed in the final products. Therefore, further investigation on other potential contamination sources such as gloves and knives used at the processing plant, and feeders and drinkers at the farm level is recommended.

Síntomas osteomusculares en galponeros de granjas avícolas asociados a condiciones del trabajo / Osteomuscular symptoms in poultry farm workers associated with working conditions

INTRODUCCIÓN. Según datos de la Organización Mundial de Salud los trastornos musculoesqueléticos son la principal causa de discapacidad en el mundo; retrasar su diagnóstico provocaría una discapacidad prevenible. OBJETIVO. Determinar la prevalencia de síntomas osteomusculares en galponeros de granjas avícolas asociados a condiciones del trabajo. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS. Estudio descriptivo transversal. Muestra aleatoria estratificada de 223 trabajadores, divididos en 106 galponeros y 117 personal administrativo de granjas avícolas de la provincia de Manabí. Criterios de inclusión: trabajadores mayores de 18 años de edad con al menos un año en la misma actividad. Para el análisis de datos, se utilizó Epi Info versión 7. RESULTADOS. La prevalencia de síntomas osteomusculares en los últimos 12 meses fue mayor en los galponeros en: hombro 81,69% y columna lumbar 56,96%. Mediante un análisis a través de regresión logística se determinó que los galponeros que trabajan por más de 10 años y que realizan movimientos repetitivos en menos de un minuto, tienen mayor riesgo de presentar dolor en el hombro (IC del 95% 1,26 ­ 4,98) e (IC del 95% 1,65 ­ 5,29). CONCLUSIÓN. Se registró la prevalencia de síntomas osteomusculares en galponeros de granjas avícolas asociados a condiciones del trabajo. RECOMENDACIÓN. Es necesario contar con sistemas de vigilancia a fin de proponer estrategias públicas en la industria avícola del Ecuador

INTRODUCTION. According to data from the World Health Organization musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of disability in the world; delaying their diagnosis would result in preventable disability. OBJECTIVE. To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in poultry farm workers associated with working conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Stratified random sample of 223 workers, divided into 106 poultry sheds workers and 117 administrative personnel of poultry farms in the province of Manabí. Inclusion criteria: Workers over 18 years of age with at least 1 year in the same activity. Fort he data analysis, Epi Info version 7 was used. RESULTS. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the last 12 months was higher in sheds workers in: shoulder 81,69% and lumbar spine 56,96%. Using logistic regression analysis, it was determined that the sheds workers who have been working for more than 10 years and who perform repetitive movements in less than one minute have a greater risk of presenting shoulder pain (95% CI 1,26 ­ 4,98) and (95% CI 1,65 ­ 5,29). CONCLUSION. The prevalence of osteomuscular symptoms in poultry farm workers associated with working conditions was recorded. RECOMMENDATION. It is necessary to have surveillance systems in order to propose public strategies in the Ecuadorian poultry industry

High Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolates from Retail Poultry Products in Spain.

The prevalence of Escherichia coli was analysed in poultry products from different Spanish retailers and determined its antibiotic resistance capability by phenotypic (ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, imipenem, cefotaxime, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim, and colistin) and genotypic assays. A total of 30 samples (hindquarters or livers) were collected from supermarkets and butchers. Enterobacteriaceae counts ranged between 3.2 and 6.5 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g, and the highest values were found in livers and in samples from supermarkets. E. coli was detected in 83% of the samples tested, and the highest prevalence was observed in livers (100%) and supermarkets (91%). Regarding the antibiotic sensitivity test, 100% of the E. coli showed resistance to at least one antibiotic. The highest resistance rates were detected for colistin (87%) and gentamicin (79%), while only two antibiotics (chloramphenicol and cefotaxime) showed a resistance lower than 10%. Furthermore, the resistance genes of tetracycline and beta-lactams were analysed by multiplex PCR, revealing that tet(A) and blaTEM were the majority genes, respectively.

Application of Peroxyacetic Acid for Decontamination of Raw Poultry Products and Comparison to Other Commonly Used Chemical Antimicrobial Interventions: A Review.

ABSTRACT: Poultry remains one of the top food commodities responsible for foodborne illness in the United States, despite poultry industry efforts since the inception of hazard analysis and critical control point to reduce the burden of foodborne illness implicating poultry products. The appropriate use of antimicrobial compounds during processing of raw poultry can help minimize this risk. Currently, peroxyacetic acid (PAA) is the most popular antimicrobial in the poultry industry, displacing chlorine compounds and others. The aim of this review was to compare the effectiveness of PAA to that of other antimicrobials for the decontamination of raw poultry carcasses and parts. Twenty-six articles were found that compared PAA with over 20 different antimicrobials, applied as spray or immersion treatments for different exposure times and at different concentrations. The most common comparisons were to chlorine compounds (17 articles), to lactic acid compounds (five articles), and to cetylpyridinium chloride (six articles). Studies measured effectiveness by reductions in native flora or inoculated bacteria, usually Salmonella or Campylobacter. PAA was found to be more effective than chlorine under most conditions studied. Effectiveness of PAA was higher than or comparable to that of lactic acid compounds and cetylpyridinium chloride depending on product and treatment conditions. Overall, the results of primary literature studies support the popularity of PAA as an effective intervention against pathogenic bacteria during poultry processing.

Dietary non-adherence and associated factors among individuals with diabetes who are on treatment follow up at Felege-Hiwot Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

Difficulty in adhering to the recommended diet is a common problem in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Dietary non-adherence among diabetic individuals leads to diabetes related complication and death. As far as our search established, there is a scarcity of scientific evidence of dietary non-adherence of individuals with diabetes to the recommended diet in Ethiopia, specifically in the Northwest part of the country. Hence, this study aims to assess the dietary non-adherence and associated factors among individuals with diabetes at Felege-Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar city, Northwest Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 385 systematically selected individuals with diabetes following their treatment from March to April 2017. Quantitative data were collected using a pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The dependent variable association with explanatory variables was determined using logistic regression. Statistical significance was considered at p-value <0.05 with 95% CI. The overall proportion of dietary non-adherence among participants was 46.8% (95% CI: 41.1-52.0). Living rurally (AOR = 3. 75; 95% CI: 2.12-6.63), duration of diabetes less than 5 years (AOR = 2. 81; 95% CI: 1.22-6.50), did not receive nutritional education (AOR = 5. 88; 95% CI: 3.30-10.48), poor social support (AOR = 3. 84; 95% CI: 1.74-8.46) and did not make choices when eating out (AOR = 3. 49; 95% CI: 2.09-5.81) were significantly associated with dietary non-adherence. Nearly half of the individuals with diabetes involved in this study did not adhere to the recommended diet. This problem could be addressed through the provision of nutritional education and strengthening social support to adhere to diabetes dietary recommendations. Therefore, health professional and nutritional educators should take appropriate action to increase the proportion of dietary adherence of individuals with diabetes.

A review on the woody breast condition, detection methods, and product utilization in the contemporary poultry industry.

In recent years, the global poultry industry has been facing increasing and challenging myopathies such as the woody breast (WB) condition that has caused significant economic losses. Even though the etiological causes of WB myopathy are still unknown or partially understood, the intensive genetic selection for rapid-growth rates and high yields in broilers may be the main factor associated with the development of this abnormality. The severity of this anomaly and its incidence rates are associated with fast-growing and heavier broilers, especially with those from high breast yielding strains. Such WB myopathy is primarily characterized by a notorious hardness in broiler breast muscles, which exhibit morphometric and histopathological alterations coupled with physicochemical abnormalities that result in undesired sensory, nutritional, and technological properties. In this negative context, although scientists are trying to solve or reduce the prevalence of this meat quality problem, the poultry industry needs noncontact and rapid in-line methods for WB detection at the fillet and/or carcass level that could help to establish automated objective grading or sorting systems according to its severity. Another need is the development and selection of profitable alternatives for the utilization of WB meat once poultry carcasses or deboned fillets affected by this abnormality are objectively detected and sorted. Indeed, there is a need for studies to expand the industrial applications of WB meat in further processed products, optimizing the incorporation of this affected chicken meat based on sensorial, technological, and nutritional profile evaluations. Even though a better understanding of the contribution of genetic and nongenetic factors to the development of growth-related myopathies can be the main strategy to mitigate their negative effects, the poultry industry could benefit from meeting the aforementioned needs.

Implementation of Multispectral Imaging (MSI) for Microbiological Quality Assessment of Poultry Products.

The aim of this study was to investigate on an industrial scale the potential of multispectral imaging (MSI) in the assessment of the quality of different poultry products. Therefore, samples of chicken breast fillets, thigh fillets, marinated souvlaki and burger were subjected to MSI analysis during production together with microbiological analysis for the enumeration of Total Viable Counts (TVC) and Pseudomonas spp. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS-R) models were developed based on the spectral data acquired to predict the "time from slaughter" parameter for each product type. Results showed that PLS-R models could predict effectively the time from slaughter in all products, while the food matrix and variations within and between batches were identified as significant factors affecting the performance of the models. The chicken thigh model showed the lowest RMSE value (0.160) and an acceptable correlation coefficient (r = 0.859), followed by the chicken burger model where RMSE and r values were 0.285 and 0.778, respectively. Additionally, for the chicken breast fillet model the calculated r and RMSE values were 0.886 and 0.383 respectively, whereas for chicken marinated souvlaki, the respective values were 0.934 and 0.348. Further improvement of the provided models is recommended in order to develop efficient models estimating time from slaughter.

Heterocyclic aromatic amine concentrations and quality characteristics of traditional smoked and roasted poultry products on the northern Chinese market.

This study evaluated the heterocyclic aromatic amine (HAA) contents and quality characteristics of seven kinds of traditional smoked and roasted poultry products on the northern Chinese market. Harbin smoked chicken had the most abundant total HAAs, followed by Haroulian roasted chicken and Yishou smoked chicken. The contents of Norharman and Harman were much higher than those of other kinds of HAAs (P < 0.05). The water content of samples varied from 59.01% to 69.98% and the water activity varied from 0.953 to 0.976. The carbonyl content and TBARS values of the Beijing roasted duck and the Duiqing roasted goose were much higher than those of the other samples (P < 0.05). The sensory evaluation result of the Beijing roasted chicken was higher than that of the other samples (P < 0.05). Overall, the levels of HAAs in the industrial smoked and roasted products were lower than those in non-industrial products, which may provide a theoretical basis for the industrial production of smoked and roasted poultry products.

Phentotypic, gentotypic antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity of Salmonella enterica serovars Typimurium and Enteriditis in poultry and poultry products.

For detection and isolation of Salmonella enterica, 650 meat and tissue samples were processed using Rappaport-Vassiliadis Enrichment broth and Salmonella Chromogenic agar followed by confirmation through specific antisera and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting their Specific Serovar Genomic Regions (SSGRS). Isolates were tested for 15 antibiotics (CRO, AMX, GEN, STR, TET, CHL, CLR, LVX, OFX, GAT, CIP, SXT, AMP, LIN and AZM) according to the disc diffusion method and antimicrobial resistant genes (tet(A), tet(B), tet(C), strA/strB, aadA, aac(3)IV), aadB, sul1, sul2 and sul3, blaCMY-2, blaTEM and blaSHV) using PCR. The overall prevalence of Salmonella enterica was 12%, being higher in markets (15%) as compared to poultry farms (37.2%). The MPN of all positive meat and tissue samples was found 3.6 MPN/gram (0.17-18). A total of 234 isolates were obtained, serovar Typimurium (139) and Enteridits (95) were the most prevalent. Antimicrobial resistance patterns were different in different serovars according to origin of Salmonella isolates. The overall isolates were highly resistant for LIN (93.1%, 218/234) followed by AMX (80%, 187/234), AMP (74.3%, 174/234), TET (64.5%, 151/234) and STR (64.5%, 151/234). Overall, the most common ARG was blaTEM (76%, 178/234), followed by blaSHV (71.7%, 168/234), tet(A) (64%, 151/234) and tet(B) (64%, 150/234), while the least ARG was aadB (7.2%, 17/234). Both Typimurium and Enteridits were tested in the Balb/C mice for pathogenicity. Both Typimurium and Enteridits were found to cause successful colonization, 100% morbidity but Enteriditis were found to cause 33% mortality.

Accelerated Sample Preparation for Fast Salmonella Detection in Poultry Products.

Salmonella is the most burdensome foodborne pathogen in the USA and a major causal agent of foodborne outbreaks. Detection of a pathogen such as Salmonella can be achieved within a few hours using commercially available rapid methods, but the sample preparation is time consuming and may require multiple days. We have developed and successfully tested an accelerated sample preparation method based on microfiltration, in some cases preceded by a short enrichment step, for the rapid detection of selected pathogens. The time-frame of the overall process, from sample preparation (i.e., food rinse or homogenate preparation, microbial enrichment, and filtration steps) to detection is 8 h or less. While microfiltration has been practiced for 70 years, the complex interactions between food substances and filter membrane surfaces have shown that food pretreatment methods need to be developed on a case by case basis for the recovery of bacteria from food homogenates and/or rinses. We have also demonstrated that addition of protease to treat homogenates of different poultry products prior to microfiltration avoids the rapid decrease in flux that otherwise occurs during microfiltration. This protease treatment minimizes filter clogging, so that the microbial concentration, recovery and detection of 1 to 10 CFU/g of Salmonella in poultry products is possible in less than 8 h.

Rare Earth Element Labeling as a Tool for Assuring the Origin of Eggs and Poultry Products.

Laying hens were fed terbium and thulium supplemented feed in order to introduce a distinctive rare earth element pattern that allows discrimination of labeled from unlabeled poultry products. Samples of egg yolk, egg shells, meat, bones, liver, blood, and feces were analyzed using either conventional or laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Already after a short time of administering supplemented feed, terbium and thulium enrichment could be unambiguously detected in the products, while absolute terbium and thulium contents remained low enough to ensure safety for the customer. This method could potentially be applied to specifically label foodstuffs produced in certain regions or under certain conditions, in order to ensure food authenticity.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Campylobacter jejuni in Poultry Products Using a Nanoparticle-Based Piezoelectric Immunosensor Integrated with Magnetic Immunoseparation.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading causes of foodborne human gastrointestinal diseases. Poultry and poultry products have been identified as the major transmission routes to humans for this pathogenic bacterium. The objective of this research was to develop a rapid and sensitive immunosensor for detection of C. jejuni in poultry products on the basis of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) using magnetic nanobeads (MNBs) for separation of target pathogen and gold nanoparticles for amplification of the measurement. A QCM sensor in a flow cell was prepared by immobilizing the mouse anti- C. jejuni monoclonal antibody (mAb1) on the sensor surface to specifically capture C. jejuni. Rabbit anti- C. jejuni polyclonal antibody (pAb1) was conjugated with MNBs to capture and separate C. jejuni from food matrices. MNB-pAb1- C. jejuni complexes were injected into the flow cell to bind with the mAb1 immobilized on the QCM sensor surface. Goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G polyclonal antibody conjugated with gold nanoparticles was injected into the flow cell to bind with pAb1 on MNBs. Finally, resonant frequency was measured with a QCM analyzer, and the change in resonant frequency was correlated to the cell number of C. jejuni. The specificity of this immunosensor was confirmed with different strains of Campylobacter, Salmonella, and other foodborne pathogens commonly colonized in the broiler gastrointestinal tract. Samples of broiler carcass wash and ground turkey were spiked with C. jejuni at different concentrations for use in tests. Results showed that the QCM immunosensor could rapidly detect C. jejuni in poultry products, with a detection limit of 20 to 30 CFU/mL without preenrichment, and a total detection time of less than 30 min. Characteristics of C. jejuni captured by the antibody immobilized on the surface of the QCM sensor were visualized by using atomic force microscopy. This highly adaptive and flexible method could provide the poultry industry a more rapid, sensitive, and effective method for detection of major foodborne pathogens in poultry products.

Designing a biochip following multiplex polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Salmonella serovars Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Infantis, Hadar, and Virchow in poultry products.

Salmonella-contaminated foods, especially poultry-derived foods (eggs, chicken meat), are the major source of salmonellosis. Not only in the European Union (EU), but also in the United States, Japan, and other countries, has salmonellosis been an issue of concern for food safety control agencies. In 2005, EU regulation 1003/2005 set a target for the control and reduction of five target Salmonella enterica serovars-S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, S. Infantis, S. Hadar, and S. Virchow-in breeding flocks. Thus, a simple biochip for the rapid detection of any of these five Salmonella serovars in poultry products may be required. The objectives of this study were to design S. Virchow-specific primers and to develop a biochip for the simultaneous identification of all or any of these five Salmonella serovars in poultry and poultry products. Experimentally, we designed novel polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for the specific detection of S. Virchow, S. Infantis, and S. Hadar. The specificity of all these primers and two known primer sets for S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis was then confirmed under the same PCR conditions using 57 target strains and 112 nontarget Salmonella strains as well as 103 non-Salmonella strains. Following multiplex PCR, strains of any of these five Salmonella serovars could be detected by a chromogenic biochip deployed with DNA probes specific to these five Salmonella serovars. In comparison with the multiplex PCR methods, the biochip assay could improve the detection limit of each of the Salmonella serovars from N×103 cfu/mL to N×102 cfu/mL sample in either the pure culture or the chicken meat samples. With an 8-hour enrichment step, the detection limit could reach up to N×100 cfu/mL.

Caracterización de cepas de Campylobacter jejuni obtenidas desde carne de pollo y heces de aves de corral de la zona central de Chile / Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni samples coming form poultry meat and feces

Background Campylobacter jejuni is one of the main causal agents of food borne diseases. Infections with this pathogen are mainly caused by chicken meat consumption. Aim To characterize antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in C. jejuni strains obtained from chicken meat and poultry feces in Central Chile. Material and Methods The presence of C. jejuni in 30 meat and 40 feces samples from poultry was studied. From these samples, we obtained 40 strains which were characterized at the molecular level for the presence of 16 genes involved in virulence using PCR. In parallel, antibiotic resistance for ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, erythromycin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol y ampicillin was analyzed. Results Twenty and 63% of feces and chicken meat samples were positive for C. jejuni, respectively. Moreover, a high percentage of strains showed antibiotic resistance, where 27% of strains were resistant to all tested antibiotics, except for azithromycin. Finally, 10% of the strains coming from feces contained 14 out of 16 virulence genes evaluated. Only 23% of the strains did not contain any of these genes. Conclusions A high percentage of feces and chicken meat samples are contaminated with C. jejuni. Moreover, these strains show a high genetic and phenotypic diversity represented by their antibiotic resistance profiles and the presence of virulence factors.

Chemistry, Antimicrobial Mechanisms, and Antibiotic Activities of Cinnamaldehyde against Pathogenic Bacteria in Animal Feeds and Human Foods.

Cinnamaldehyde is a major constituent of cinnamon essential oils produced by aromatic cinnamon plants. This compound has been reported to exhibit antimicrobial properties in vitro in laboratory media and in animal feeds and human foods contaminated with disease-causing bacteria including Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. This integrated review surveys and interprets our current knowledge of the chemistry, analysis, safety, mechanism of action, and antibiotic activities of cinnamaldehyde in food animal (cattle, lambs, calves, pigs, poultry) diets and in widely consumed liquid (apple, carrot, tomato, and watermelon juices, milk) and solid foods. Solid foods include various fruits (bayberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries), vegetables (carrots, celery, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, and tomatoes), meats (beef, ham, pork, and frankfurters), poultry (chickens and turkeys), seafood (oysters and shrimp), bread, cheese, eggs, infant formula, and peanut paste. The described findings are not only of fundamental interest but also have practical implications for food safety, nutrition, and animal and human health. The collated information and suggested research needs will hopefully facilitate and guide further studies needed to optimize the use of cinnamaldehyde alone and in combination with other natural antimicrobials and medicinal antibiotics to help prevent and treat food animal and human diseases.

An assessment of the microbiological quality of lightly cooked food (including sous-vide) at the point of consumption in England.

This observational study aims to investigate the microbiological quality of commercially prepared lightly cooked foods with a major component of food of animal origin and collected as would be served to a consumer. A total of 356 samples were collected from catering (92%), retail (7%) or producers (1%) and all were independent of known incidents of foodborne illness. Using standard methods, all samples were tested for: the presence of Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. and enumerated for levels of, Bacillus spp. including B. cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria spp. including L. monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriacea and aerobic colony count (ACC). Results were interpreted as unsatisfactory, borderline or satisfactory according to the Health Protection Agency guidelines for assessing the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods placed on the market. Amongst all samples, 70% were classified as satisfactory, 18% were borderline and 12% were of unsatisfactory microbiological quality. Amongst the unsatisfactory samples, six (2%) were potentially injurious to health due to the presence of: Salmonella spp. (one duck breast); Campylobacter spp. (two duck breast and one chicken liver pâté); L. monocytogenes at 4·3 × 103 cfu (colony-forming units)/g (one duck confit with foie gras ballotin) and C. perfringens at 2·5 × 105 cfu/g (one chicken liver pâté). The remaining unsatisfactory samples were due to high levels of indicator E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae or ACC.

[Antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from food products].

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading member of the genus Campylobacter which cause up to 90% of laboratory confirmed cases of campylobacteriosis. The most important characteristic defining the biological features of C. jejuni is their sensitivity to antibiotics. Agricultural intensification, expansion of the range of the used disinfectants and antiseptics, uncontrolled use of antibiotics in animal production is increasingly leading to the selection of the most resistant forms of Campylobacter with antibiotic resistance and multiple virulence factors. The study of antibiotic resistance of C. jejuni isolated from food and environment need for the development of new approaches for laboratory diagnosis of campylobacteriosis and confirmation of the role of food path of transmission, for creation the system of preventive measures to reduce the risk of contamination of food by Campylobacter spp. in Russia. The aim of this study was to investigate the phenotypic profiles of antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter spp. isolated from poultry and the environment in the poultry processing industry. In the analysis of 110 samples of raw poultry products and swabs from surfaces of the equipment 55 strains of the genus Campylobacter were selected, including 46 strains of C. jejuni. For study sensitivity of these strains to 15 antimicrobials (8 classes) disk diffusion assays were done using the EUCAST protocol. The following antibiotics were used: nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, amikacin, kanamycin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, clindamycin, lincomycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, cefotaxime. All C. jejuni strains were resistant to cephalothin, which confirms their belonging to this species. 89% of the strains were insensitive to nalidixic acid, which indicates the reduction of informativeness of this test, traditionally used in the standard scheme of species identification of Саmpylobacter spp. Most of the investigated isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin (96.3%) and tetracycline (88.6%), 34% of strains had resistance to erythromycin; 40% of tested C. jejuni were multi-resistant to four or more antibiotics. The data indicate a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains among campylobacteria, contaminated poultry products during the processing of raw materials.

Current aspects of Salmonella contamination in the US poultry production chain and the potential application of risk strategies in understanding emerging hazards.

One of the leading causes of foodborne illness in poultry products is Salmonella enterica. Salmonella hazards in poultry may be estimated and possible control methods modeled and evaluated through the use of quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) models and tools. From farm to table, there are many possible routes of Salmonella dissemination and contamination in poultry. From the time chicks are hatched through growth, transportation, processing, storage, preparation, and finally consumption, the product could be contaminated through exposure to different materials and sources. Examination of each step of the process is necessary as well as an examination of the overall picture to create effective countermeasures against contamination and prevent disease. QMRA simulation models can use either point estimates or probability distributions to examine variables such as Salmonella concentrations at retail or at any given point of processing to gain insight on the chance of illness due to Salmonella ingestion. For modeling Salmonella risk in poultry, it is important to look at variables such as Salmonella transfer and cross contamination during processing. QMRA results may be useful for the identification and control of critical sources of Salmonella contamination.