scholarly journals Identification of Workers at Increased Risk of Infection During a COVID-19 Outbreak in a Meat Processing Plant, France, May 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoann Mallet ◽  
Mathilde Pivette ◽  
Matthieu Revest ◽  
Elisabeth Angot ◽  
Marion Valence ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eastern European Country ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Occupational Characteristics ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
French Speaking

AbstractOn 13 May 2020, a COVID-19 cluster was detected in a French processing plant. Infected workers were described. The associations between the SARS-CoV-2 infection and the socio-demographic and occupational characteristics were assessed in order to implement risk management measures targeting workers at increased risk of contamination. Workers were tested by RT-PCR from samples taken during screening campaigns. Workers who tested positive were isolated and their contacts were quarantined. Workers were described and associations with the SARS-CoV-2 infection were assessed through risk ratios using multivariable Poisson regression. Of the 1347 workers, 87.5% were tested: 140 cases were identified; 4 were hospitalised, including 2 admitted to intensive care. In the company, the cluster remained limited to deboning and cutting activities. The attack rate was 11.9% in the company, reaching 16.6% in the cutting department. Being an employee of a subcontractor significantly increased the risk of infection by 2.98 [1.81–4.99]. In the cutting department, an association with virus infection was found for a group of non-French speaking workers from the same Eastern European country (RR = 2.67 [1.76–4.05]). They shared accommodation or carpooled more frequently than the other cases. The outbreak investigation revealed a significantly increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for workers of subcontractors and some foreign-born workers. There are many such populations in meat processing plants; the observed associations and the ways in which these workers are contaminated need to be confirmed by further work. Prevention campaigns should now target these workers. Environmental risk factors in the workplace setting remain to be clarified.

Cleaning Conveyor Belts in the Chicken-Cutting Area of a Poultry Processing Plant with 45°C Water

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 496-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. M. SOARES ◽  
J. G. PEREIRA ◽  
C. M. ZANETTE ◽  
L. A. NERO ◽  
J. P. A. N. PINTO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conveyor Belt ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Poultry Meat ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Work Shift ◽  
Processing Facility ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Conveyor Belts ◽  
Poultry Processing

Conveyor belts are widely used in food handling areas, especially in poultry processing plants. Because they are in direct contact with food and it is a requirement of the Brazilian health authority, conveyor belts are required to be continuously cleaned with hot water under pressure. The use of water in this procedure has been questioned based on the hypothesis that water may further disseminate microorganisms but not effectively reduce the organic material on the surface. Moreover, reducing the use of water in processing may contribute to a reduction in costs and emission of effluents. However, no consistent evidence in support of removing water during conveyor belt cleaning has been reported. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to compare the bacterial counts on conveyor belts that were or were not continuously cleaned with hot water under pressure. Superficial samples from conveyor belts (cleaned or not cleaned) were collected at three different times during operation (T1, after the preoperational cleaning [5 a.m.]; T2, after the first work shift [4 p.m.]; and T3, after the second work shift [1:30 a.m.]) in a poultry meat processing facility, and the samples were subjected to mesophilic and enterobacterial counts. For Enterobacteriaceae, no significant differences were observed between the conveyor belts, independent of the time of sampling or the cleaning process. No significant differences were observed between the counts of mesophilic bacteria at the distinct times of sampling on the conveyor belt that had not been subjected to continuous cleaning with water at 45°C. When comparing similar periods of sampling, no significant differences were observed between the mesophilic counts obtained from the conveyor belts that were or were not subjected to continuous cleaning with water at 45°C. Continuous cleaning with water did not significantly reduce microorganism counts, suggesting the possibility of discarding this procedure in chicken processing.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial susceptibility, multilocus sequence typing, and virulence of listeria isolated from a slaughterhouse in Jiangsu, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liting Wu ◽  
Hongduo Bao ◽  
Zhengquan Yang ◽  
Tao He ◽  
Yuan Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Multilocus Sequence Typing ◽  
Tetracycline Resistance ◽  
Dilution Method ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Processing Plants

Abstract Background Listeria monocytogenes is one of the deadliest foodborne pathogens. The bacterium can tolerate severe environments through biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility, resistance genes, virulence, and molecular epidemiology about Listeria from meat processing environments. Methods This study evaluated the antibiotic resistance and virulence of Listeria isolates from slaughtering and processing plants. All isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using a standard microbroth dilution method. The harboring of resistant genes was identified by polymerase chain reaction. The multilocus sequence typing was used to determine the subtyping of the isolates and characterize possible routes of contamination from meat processing environments. The virulence of different STs of L. monocytogenes isolates was evaluated using a Caco-2 cell invasion assay. Results A total of 59 Listeria isolates were identified from 320 samples, including 37 L. monocytogenes isolates (62.71%). This study evaluated the virulence of L. monocytogenes and the antibiotic resistance of Listeria isolates from slaughtering and processing plants. The susceptibility of these 59 isolates against 8 antibiotics was analyzed, and the resistance levels to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and lincomycin were as high as 98.31% (L. m 37; L. innocua 7; L. welshimeri 14), 96.61% (L. m 36; L. innocua 7; L. welshimeri 14), and 93.22% (L. m 35; L. innocua 7; L. welshimeri 13), respectively. More than 90% of the isolates were resistant to three to six antibiotics, indicating that Listeria isolated from meat processing environments had high antimicrobial resistance. Up to 60% of the isolates harbored the tetracycline-resistance genes tetA and tetM. The frequency of ermA, ermB, ermC, and aac(6′)-Ib was 16.95, 13.56, 15.25, and 6.78%, respectively. Notably, the resistant phenotype and genotype did not match exactly, suggesting that the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance of these isolates were likely related to the processing environment. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed that 59 Listeria isolates were grouped into 10 sequence types (STs). The dominant L. monocytogenes STs were ST5, ST9, and ST121 in the slaughtering and processing plant of Jiangsu province. Moreover, ST5 subtypes exhibited high invasion in Caco-2 cells compared with ST9 and ST121 cells. Conclusion The dominant L. monocytogenes ST5 persisted in the slaughtering and processing plant and had high antimicrobial resistance and invasion characteristics, illustrating a potential risk in food safety and human health.

Contesting Diversity and Community within Postville, Iowa

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer F. Reynolds ◽  
Caitlin Didier
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Change ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Immigrant Labor ◽  
City Life ◽  
Big City ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Rural Places

This chapter considers the following question: How do small-town middle Americans adapt to rapid cultural change that is more typical of big-city life? Postville, Iowa, was singled out for attention over all the other rural midwestern or southern towns that also house corporate beef, pork, or chicken food-processing plants. It had all the trappings of an “exotic” case study; the new owners of the meat-processing plant were city people, from Brooklyn, and they observed an orthodox form of Judaism, Hasidism. And despite the fact that the kosher meat-processing plant, Agriprocessors, was family owned and operated, it has been managed much like other notorious corporate firms that have relocated to rural places to cut costs related to unionized labor and the transportation of livestock. Management, moreover, recruited immigrant labor from the ex-Soviet republics, Asia, Israel, and Latin America. When Immigration officials raided Agriprocessors on May, 12, 2008, it was further revealed that the majority of the workers were undocumented. This chapter is based on ethnographic research, conducted at different points of time in the town's recent history. It draws upon a tradition of critical ethnographic inquiry into transnational circuits of migration and meat-processing communities to examine the particulars of how this place is a contested social field wherein different players struggle over macrosociological meanings of citizenship and belonging in locally specific ways.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Susceptibility, Multilocus Sequence Typing, and Virulence of Listeria Isolated From A Slaughterhouse

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liting Wu ◽  
Hongduo Bao ◽  
Zhengquan Yang ◽  
Tao He ◽  
Yuan Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Multilocus Sequence Typing ◽  
Tetracycline Resistance ◽  
Dilution Method ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Processing Plants

Abstract Background: Listeria monocytogenes is one of the deadliest foodborne pathogens, and the bacterium can tolerate severe environments through biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility, resistance genes,virulence and molecular epidemiology about Listeria from meat processing environments. Methods: This study evaluated the antibiotic resistance and virulence of Listeria isolates from slaughtering and processing plants. All isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing by using a standard microbroth dilution method. The carrying of resistant genes were identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was determined subtyping of the isolates and to characterize possible routes of contamination from meat processing environments. The virulence of different STs of L. monocytogenes isolates were evaluated by Caco-2 cells invasion assay. Results: A total of 59 Listeria isolates were identified from 320 samples, including 37 L. monocytogenes (62.71%). This study evaluated the virulence of L. monocytogenes and antibiotic resistance of Listeria isolates from slaughtering and processing plants. The susceptibility of these 59 isolates against eight antibiotics was analyzed, and the resistance levels to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and lincomycin were as high as 98.31% (L. m 37; L. innocua 7; L. welshimeri 14), 96.61% (L. m 36; L. innocua 7; L. welshimeri 14), and 93.22% (L. m 35; L. innocua 7; L. welshimeri 13) respectively. Over 90% of the isolates were resistant to 3-6 antibiotics, indicating that Listeria isolated from meat processing environments has high antimicrobial resistance. Up to 60% of the isolates carried the tetracycline-resistance genes tetA and tetM. The frequencies of ermA, ermB, ermC, and aac(6’)-Ib were 16.95%, 13.56%, 15.25%, and 6.78%, respectively. Notably, the resistant phenotype and genotype did not match exactly, suggesting that the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance of these isolates were likely related to the processing environment. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed that 59 Listeria isolates were grouped into 10 sequence types (STs). The dominant L. monocytogenes STs were ST5, ST9, and ST121 in the slaughtering and processing plant of Jiangsu province. Moreover, ST5 subtypes exhibited high invasion in Caco-2 cells compared with ST9 and ST121. Conclusions: The results of this study predict a prevalence of Listeria contamination in the slaughtering and processing plant , and resistance of the ST5 subtypes isolates to the antimicrobials may cause potential public health risks.

scholarly journals Identification of Listeria monocytogenes Contamination in a Ready-to-Eat Meat Processing Plant in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongzhi Zhang ◽  
Fengxia Que ◽  
Biyao Xu ◽  
Linjun Sun ◽  
Yanqi Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Etiologic Agent ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Plate Count ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Processing Plants

Listeria monocytogenes is the etiologic agent of listeriosis, which remains a significant public health concern in many countries due to its high case-fatality rate. The constant risk of L. monocytogenes transmission to consumers remains a central challenge in the food production industry. At present, there is very little known about L. monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat (RTE) processing plants in China. In this study, L. monocytogenes in an RTE meat processing plant in Shanghai municipality was characterized using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Furthermore, the biofilm formation ability of the pathogen was also tested. Results revealed that L. monocytogenes isolates were present in 12 samples out of the 48 samples investigated. Most of them (66.7%, 8/12) were identified from the processing facilities irrespective of observed hygiene levels of aerobic plate count (APC) and coliforms. Coliforms were present in only one processing area. ST5 (1/2b) isolates were predominant (83.3%, 10/12) and were identified in two dominant pulsotypes (PTs) (three in PT3 and seven in PT4, respectively). Results of the core-genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST) showed that ST5 in three PTs (PT1, PT3, and PT4) had 0–8 alleles, which confirmed that clonal transmission occurred in the RTE meat processing facilities. In addition, the biofilm formation test confirmed that the isolates from the processing facilities could form biofilms, which helped them colonize and facilitate persistence in the environment. These results indicated that common sanitation procedures regularly applied in the processing environment were efficient but not sufficient to remove L. monocytogenes isolates, especially biofilm of L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, the ST5 isolates in this study exhibited 12 alleles with one ST5 clinical isolate, which contributes to the understanding of the potential pathogenic risk that L. monocytogenes in RTE meat processing equipment posed to consumers. Therefore, strong hygienic measures, especially sanitation procedures for biofilms eradication, should be implemented to ensure the safety of raw materials. Meanwhile, continuous surveillance might be vital for the prevention and control of listeriosis caused by L. monocytogenes.

Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Listeria monocytogenes in Vacuum-Packaged Ready-to-Eat Meat Products at Retail Markets in Latvia

2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 1283-1287 ◽  
Author(s):  
AIVARS BĒRZIŅŠ ◽  
MARGARITA TERENTJEVA ◽  
HANNU KORKEALA
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Shelf Life ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Pork Products ◽  
Beef Products ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Serotype 1 ◽  
Packaged Beef

Nine groups of different retail ready-to-eat vacuum-packaged meat products from 10 Baltic meat processing plants were analyzed for presence and numbers of Listeria monocytogenes at the end of shelf life. A total of 38 (18%) of 211 samples tested positive for L. monocytogenes serotype 1/2a (88%) or 1/2c (12%). The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in cold-smoked, sliced, vacuum-packaged beef and pork products (42%) was significantly higher than in cooked, sliced, vacuum-packaged meat products (0.8%) (P < 0.001). Enumeration of L. monocytogenes showed that 84% of the positive samples contained <100 CFU/g upon expiry of product shelf life. The numbers of L. monocytogenes exceeded 100 CFU/g only in cold-smoked, sliced, vacuum-packaged beef products. Identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis types were recovered from different production lots of cold-smoked vacuum-packaged beef and pork products produced by the same meat processing plant, demonstrating L. monocytogenes contamination as a recurrent problem within one meat processing plant.

scholarly journals The Effect of Sanitizers on Microbial Levels of Chicken Meat Collected from Commercial Processing Plants

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (23) ◽  
pp. 4807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chousalkar ◽  
Sims ◽  
McWhorter ◽  
Khan ◽  
Sexton
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Viable Count ◽  
Chicken Meat ◽  
Sodium Chlorite ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Commercial Processing ◽  
Selection Of

Chicken meat can potentially become contaminated with bacteria at the processing plant. In Australia, there is currently a lack of knowledge on the parameters and indications of use of non-chlorine based treatments in the chicken meat processing plants. Chlorine is widely used as a sanitizer in Australian chicken meat processing plants but due to occupational health and safety concerns and consumer perception, there is a need to identify alternative sanitizers. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of four different sanitizers in reducing the microbial load from naturally contaminated chicken meat carcasses collected from the processing plants in South Australia. There was a significant variation in a load of Campylobacter and total viable count (TVC) between samples collected from two different processing plants and within carcass batches collected from the same plant that was tested during the study. All sanitizers generally reduced the load of Campylobacter on chicken meat carcasses. Treatment with acidified sodium chlorite significantly reduced the level of Salmonella enterica serovars at all temperatures tested during this study. These findings are helpful to the industry for selection of the appropriate sanitizers. Findings are also useful for the regulatory authorities in Australia for providing approval for the use of sanitizers.

Direct Detection and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria in a Food Processing Plant and in Meat Products Using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

2004 ◽  
Vol 67 (11) ◽  
pp. 2515-2520 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAJIME TAKAHASHI ◽  
BON KIMURA ◽  
MIWAKO YOSHIKAWA ◽  
SEITARO GOTOU ◽  
ITARU WATANABE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lactic Acid ◽  
Lactic Acid Bacteria ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

We established a novel system using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to quickly identify bacteria known to be responsible for spoilage in meat processing plants and meat products. We extracted bacterial DNA from swabbed samples at various locations in the plant and from meat products and performed PCR amplification, targeting 16S rDNA from the dominant organisms. The amplification products were subjected to DGGE, and the contaminating bacteria in the meat products and the plant were analyzed. This analysis indicated that lactic acid bacteria and spoilage-causing bacteria are widely distributed within the meat processing plant. We developed molecular size markers to identify the dominant organisms obtained from the plant and meat products. The establishment of the present method allows quick and simple identification of bacteria causing the possible deterioration of products and contamination and thus permits constant monitoring of any harmful bacteria within meat processing plants.

scholarly journals Traceability to ensure food safety and consumer protection as typified by case studies of three meat processing plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-249
Author(s):  
M. Stanisławek ◽  
D. Miarka ◽  
H. Kowalska ◽  
J. Kowalska
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Computer System ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Industry ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Traceability System ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
System Functioning ◽  
Paper Documentation ◽  
Internal Procedures

Ensuring food safety is a legal obligation of the manufacturer or of the entity that places the product on sale. Traceability is one of the tools that are used to ensure food safety. It allows the withdrawal of a dangerous or non-compliant product from the market and determines the source of a threat. The aim of the study was to compare the functioning and effectiveness of traceability systems in selected approved meat industry plants. The system functioning in a large meat processing plant, in which the circulation of documents was implemented in a computer system, was compared with two smaller ones, in which paper documentation was carried out, but supported by a computer system. In these plants, the traceability system was based on internal procedures. Properly developed traceability procedures and simulations support and enable response in a crisis. Computer systems streamline and facilitate the traceability process. However, the comparative analysis showed that the use of paper records allowed for efficient identification of the source of the threat. The possibility of performing product traceability was confirmed in these plants. Internal markings and codes and documentation flow, staff training, and awareness proved helpful.

scholarly journals Potential environmental transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 inside a large meat processing plant experiencing COVID-19 clusters

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myrna M.T. de Rooij ◽  
Reina S Sikkema ◽  
Martijn Bouwknegt ◽  
Yvette de Geus ◽  
Kamelia R. Stanoeva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Measures ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Sampling Studies ◽  
Environmental Transmission ◽  
Viral Loads ◽  
Processing Plants

Worldwide exceptionally many COVID-19 clusters were observed in meat processing plants. Many contributing factors, promoting transmission, were suggested, including climate conditions in cooled production rooms favorable for environmental transmission but actual sampling studies are lacking. We aimed to assess SARS-CoV-2 contamination of air and surfaces to gain insight in potential environmental transmission in a large Dutch meat processing plant experiencing COVID-19 clusters. We performed SARS-CoV-2 screening of workers operating in cooled production rooms and intensive environmental sampling during a two-week study period in June 2020. Sampling of air (both stationary and personal), settling dust, ventilation systems, and sewage was performed. Swabs were collected from high-touch surfaces and workers' hands. Screening of workers was done using oro-nasopharyngeal swabs. Samples were tested for presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR. Of the 76 (predominantly asymptomatic) workers tested, 27 (35.5%) were SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive with modest to low viral loads (Ct≥29.7). In total, 6 out of 203 surface swabs were positive (Ct ≥38), being swabs taken from communal touchscreens/handles. One of the 12 personal air samples and one of the 4 sewage samples were positive, RNA levels were low (Ct≥38). All other environmental samples tested negative. Although one-third of workers tested SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive, environmental contamination was limited. Hence widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via air and surfaces was considered unlikely within this plant at the time of investigation in the context of strict COVID-19 control measures in place.

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