scholarly journals Insights into the Microbiological Safety of Wooden Cutting Boards Used for Meat Processing in Hong Kong’s Wet Markets: A Focus on Food-Contact Surfaces, Cross-Contamination and the Efficacy of Traditional Hygiene Practices

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick T. Sekoai ◽  
Shiqi Feng ◽  
Wenwen Zhou ◽  
Wing Y. Ngan ◽  
Yang Pu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Strain Identification ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
Food Contact Surfaces ◽  
Cutting Boards ◽  
Contamination Events

Hong Kong’s wet markets play a crucial role in the country’s supply of safe, fresh meat to satisfy the dietary needs of its population. Whilst food safety regulations have been introduced over the past few years to maintain the microbial safety of foods sold from these wet markets, it remains unclear whether the hygiene maintenance that is performed on the wooden cutting boards used for meat-processing is effective. In fact, hygiene maintenance may often be overlooked, and hygiene standards may be insufficient. If so, this may lead to the spread of harmful pathogens through cross-contamination, thereby causing severe risks to public health. The aim of this study was to determine the level of microbial transfer between wooden cutting boards and swine meat of various qualities, using 16S metagenomic sequencing, strain identification and biofilm screening of isolated strains. The results established that: (a) the traditional hygiene practices used for cleaning wooden cutting boards in Hong Kong’s wet markets expose the surfaces to potentially harmful microorganisms; (b) the processing of microbially contaminated meat on cutting boards cleaned using traditional practices leads to cross-contamination; and (c) several potentially pathogenic microorganisms found on the cutting boards have good biofilm-forming abilities. These results reinforce the need to review the traditional methods used to clean wooden cutting boards after the processing of raw meat in Hong Kong’ wet markets so as to prevent cross-contamination events. The establishment of proper hygiene protocols may reduce the spread of disease-causing microorganisms (including antibiotic-resistant microorganisms) in food-processing environments.

scholarly journals Cross-contamination of lettuce with Campylobacter spp. via cooking salt during handling raw poultry

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0250980
Author(s):  
Nânci Santos-Ferreira ◽  
Ângela Alves ◽  
Maria João Cardoso ◽  
Solveig Langsrud ◽  
Ana Rita Malheiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Food Hygiene ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Intact Cells ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Raw Poultry ◽  
Contamination Events ◽  
Campylobacter Spp

Campylobacter spp. are the most common bacterial pathogens associated with human gastroenteritis in industrialized countries. Contaminated chicken is the food vehicle associated with the majority of reported cases of campylobacteriosis, either by the consumption of undercooked meat or via cross- contamination of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods during the handling of contaminated raw chicken parts and carcasses. Our results indicate that cooking salt (used for seasoning) is a potential vehicle for Campylobacter spp. cross-contamination from raw chicken to lettuce, through unwashed hands after handling contaminated chicken. Cross-contamination events were observed even when the chicken skin was contaminated with low levels of Campylobacter spp. (ca. 1.48 Log CFU/g). The pathogen was recovered from seasoned lettuce samples when raw chicken was contaminated with levels ≥ 2.34 Log CFU/g. We also demonstrated that, once introduced into cooking salt, Campylobacter spp. are able to survive in a culturable state up to 4 hours. After six hours, although not detected following an enrichment period in culture medium, intact cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. These findings reveal a “novel” indirect cross-contamination route of Campylobacter in domestic settings, and a putative contamination source to RTE foods that are seasoned with salt, that might occur if basic food hygiene practices are not adopted by consumers when preparing and cooking poultry dishes.

scholarly journals Impacts of Wet Market Modernization Levels and Hygiene Practices on the Microbiome and Microbial Safety of Wooden Cutting Boards in Hong Kong

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1941
Author(s):  
Wing Yui Ngan ◽  
Subramanya Rao ◽  
Long Chung Chan ◽  
Patrick T. Sekoai ◽  
Yang Pu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
World Population ◽  
Indicator Organisms ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Microbial Profiling ◽  
Food Contact Surfaces ◽  
Wet Market ◽  
Cutting Boards

Accessing food through wet markets is a common global daily occurrence, where fresh meat can be purchased to support an urbanizing world population. Similar to the wet markets in many other metropolitan cities in Asia, Hong Kong wet markets vary and are characterized by differing hygiene routines and access to essential modern technologies. The lack of risk assessments of food contact surfaces in these markets has led to substantial gaps in food safety knowledge and information that could help improve and maintain public health. Microbial profiling analyses were conducted on cutting boards that had been used to process pork, poultry, and seafood at 11 different wet markets. The markets differed in hygiene protocols and access to modern facilities. Irrespective of whether wet markets have access of modern infrastructure, the hygiene practices were largely found to be inefficient based on the prevalence of bacterial species typically associated with foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter fetus, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus; indicator organisms such as Escherichia coli; as well as nonfoodborne pathogenic bacterial species potentially associated with nosocomial infections, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae. Other Vibrio species, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus, typically associated with contaminated raw or undercooked seafood with the potential to cause illness in humans, were also found on wooden cutting boards. This study indicated that the hygienic practices used in Hong Kong wet markets are not sufficient for preventing the establishment of spoilage or pathogenic organisms. This study serves as a basis to review current hygiene practices in wet markets and provides a framework to reassess existing safety protocols.

Putative Cross-Contamination Routes of Listeria monocytogenes in a Meat Processing Facility in Romania

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (9) ◽  
pp. 1664-1674 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANDREI SORIN BOLOCAN ◽  
ELENA ALEXANDRA ONICIUC ◽  
AVELINO ALVAREZ-ORDÓÑEZ ◽  
MARTIN WAGNER ◽  
KATHRIN RYCHLI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Food Contact ◽  
Food Contact Surfaces ◽  
Processing Facility ◽  
Contact Surfaces ◽  
Contamination Routes

Putative routes of Listeria monocytogenes contamination, based on the workflow of the employees, were studied in a meat processing facility by investigating 226 samples collected from food contact surfaces, non–food contact surfaces, raw materials, and ready-to-eat meat products on four occasions over a 1-year period. In total, 19.7% of non–food contact surfaces, 22.9% of food contact surfaces, 45% of raw materials, and 20% of ready-to-eat meat products were positive for L. monocytogenes (analyzed by the International Organization for Standardization standard method ISO 11290). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles were determined for a representative subset of these isolates, and 11 distinct pulsotypes were identified, two of which were frequently isolated (T4 and T8) and considered persistent. Strains from the various pulsotypes were screened for the presence of bcrABC and qacH, the genes responsible for tolerance responses to quaternary ammonium compounds. Two strains harbored bcrABC, and these strains had a higher benzalkonium chloride tolerance; however, they were not considered persistent strains. The frequently isolated PFGE pulsotype T8 strains were highly adhesive to abiotic surfaces at 10 and 20°C; however, the pulsotype T6 strain, which was isolated only at the last sampling time, had the highest adhesion ability, and the pulsotype T4 strain (the second most persistent pulsotype) had only modest adhesion. Four putative cross-contamination routes were confirmed by mapping the persistent and other isolates. This information could allow a food safety manager to adjust the work flow to improve the hygienic conditions in a meat processing facility. This study revealed the prevalence and persistence of L. monocytogenes strains in a meat processing facility and established the importance of developing strategies to avoid cross-contamination, recalls, and outbreaks of listeriosis.

Transfer of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium from Beef to Tomato through Kitchen Equipment and the Efficacy of Intermediate Decontamination Procedures

2016 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 1252-1258 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. GKANA ◽  
A. LIANOU ◽  
G.-J. E. NYCHAS
Keyword(s):  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Pathogenic Microorganisms ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Raw Meat ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Cutting Boards

ABSTRACT It is well established that a high percentage of foodborne illness is caused by failure of consumers to prepare food in a hygienic manner. Indeed, a common practice in households is to use the same kitchen equipment for both raw meat and fresh produce. Such a practice may lead to cross-contamination of fruits and vegetables, which are mainly consumed without further processing, with pathogenic microorganisms originating from raw meat. The present study was performed to examine the transfer of the pathogenic bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium from inoculated beef fillets to tomatoes via contact with high-density polyethylene (PE), stainless steel (SS), and wooden (WD) surfaces and through cutting with SS knives. Furthermore, the following decontamination procedures were applied: (i) rinsing with tap water, (ii) scrubbing with tap water and liquid dish detergent, and (iii) using a commercial antibacterial spray. When surfaces and knives that came into contact with contaminated beef fillets were not cleaned prior to handling tomatoes, the lowest level of pathogen transfer to tomatoes was observed through PE surfaces. All of the decontamination procedures applied were more effective on knives than on surfaces, while among the surface materials tested, WD surfaces were the most difficult to decontaminate, followed by PE and SS surfaces. Mechanical cleaning with tap water and detergent was more efficient in decontaminating WD surfaces than using commercial disinfectant spray, followed by rinsing only with water. Specifically, reductions of 2.07 and 1.09 log CFU/cm2 were achieved by washing the WD surfaces with water and detergent and spraying the surfaces with an antibacterial product, respectively. Although the pathogen's populations on SS and PE surfaces, as well as on tomatoes, after both aforementioned treatments were under the detection limit, the surfaces were all positive after enrichment, and thus, the potential risk of cross-contamination cannot be overlooked. As demonstrated by the results of this study, washing or disinfection of kitchen equipment may not be sufficient to avoid cross-contamination of ready-to-eat foods with foodborne pathogens, depending on the decontamination treatment applied and the material of the surfaces treated. Therefore, separate cutting boards and knives should be used for processing raw meat and preparing ready-to-eat foods in order to enhance food safety.

Quantification and Variability Analysis of Bacterial Cross-Contamination Rates in Common Food Service Tasks

2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
YUHUAN CHEN ◽  
KRISTIN M. JACKSON ◽  
FABIOLA P. CHEA ◽  
DONALD W. SCHAFFNER
Keyword(s):  
Food Service ◽  
Enterobacter Aerogenes ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Food Preparation ◽  
Contamination Rate ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Transfer Rates ◽  
Washing Efficiency ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Contamination Events

This study investigated bacterial transfer rates between hands and other common surfaces involved in food preparation in the kitchen. Nalidixic acid–resistant Enterobacter aerogenes B199A was used as a surrogate microorganism to follow the cross-contamination events. Samples from at least 30 different participants were collected to determine the statistical distribution of each cross-contamination rate and to quantify the natural variability associated with that rate. The transfer rates among hands, foods, and kitchen surfaces were highly variable, being as low as 0.0005% and as high as 100%. A normal distribution was used to describe the variability in the logarithm of the transfer rates. The mean ± SD of the normal distributions were, in log percent transfer rate, chicken to hand (0.94 ± 0.68), cutting board to lettuce (0.90 ± 0.59), spigot to hand (0.36 ± 0.90), hand to lettuce (−0.12 ± 1.07), prewashed hand to postwashed hand (i.e., hand washing efficiency) (−0.20 ± 1.42), and hand to spigot (−0.80 ± 1.09). Quantifying the cross-contamination risk associated with various steps in the food preparation process can provide a scientific basis for risk management efforts in both home and food service kitchens.

scholarly journals Simulating Cross-Contamination of Cooked Pork with Salmonella enterica from Raw Pork through Home Kitchen Preparation in Vietnam

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinh Dang-Xuan ◽  
Hung Nguyen-Viet ◽  
Phuc Pham-Duc ◽  
Delia Grace ◽  
Fred Unger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Transfer Rates ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Food Handling Practices ◽  
Cutting Boards ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Pork Consumption

Pork is the most commonly consumed meat in Vietnam, and Salmonella enterica is a common contaminant. This study aimed to assess potential S. enterica cross-contamination between raw and cooked pork in Vietnamese households. Different scenarios for cross-contamination were constructed based on a household survey of pork handling practices (416 households). Overall, 71% of people used the same knife and cutting board for both raw and cooked pork; however, all washed their hands and utensils between handling raw and cooked pork. The different scenarios were experimentally tested. First, S. enterica was inoculated on raw pork and surfaces (hands, knives and cutting boards); next, water used for washing and pork were sampled to identify the presence and concentration of S. enterica during different scenarios of food preparation. Bootstrapping techniques were applied to simulate transfer rates of S. enterica cross-contamination. No cross-contamination to cooked pork was observed in the scenario of using the same hands with new cutting boards and knives. The probability of re-contamination in the scenarios involving re-using the cutting board after washing was significantly higher compared to the scenarios which used a new cutting board. Stochastic simulation found a high risk of cross-contamination from raw to cooked pork when the same hands, knives and cutting boards were used for handling raw and cooked pork (78%); when the same cutting board but a different knife was used, cross-contamination was still high (67%). Cross-contamination between was not seen when different cutting boards and knives were used for cutting raw and cooked pork. This study provided an insight into cross-contamination of S. enterica, given common food handling practices in Vietnamese households and can be used for risk assessment of pork consumption.

STAPHYLOCOCCAL BIOFILMS: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR SANITATION OF DAIRY AND MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 302-306
Author(s):  
N.A. Shurduba ◽  
◽  
D.V. Gruznov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Pathogenic Microorganisms ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Food Spoilage ◽  
Planktonic Cells ◽  
Dairy Processing ◽  
The Stability

The article presents data on studies of the stability of staphylococcal biofilms. Staphylococcus grows predominantly as biofilm on virtually any type of industrial surface, causing contamination of food and water, corrosion of the metal surface and obstruction of the equipment. In particular, in the processing meat and dairy industry, biofilm formation can contribute to food spoilage and the transfer of pathogenic microorganisms, increasing the possibility of cross-contamination, which can be associated with a serious risk to consumer health. Staphylococci are often isolated from products of animal origin, but it turned out that in the state of biofilm they are more stable and viable than planktonic cells, especially after insufficiently effective disinfection. In this regard, commonly used means and modes of rehabilitation of technological surfaces of meat and dairy processing enterprises must be improved.

scholarly journals Bacterial biofilms resist oxidising agents due to the presence of organic matter

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 178-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Jaglic ◽  
D. Červinková ◽  
H. Vlková ◽  
E. Michu ◽  
G. Kunová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Bacterial Biofilms ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Planktonic Cells ◽  
Tryptone Soya Broth ◽  
Viable Cells ◽  
Food Contact Surfaces ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Staphylococcus Spp ◽  
Klebsiella Spp

This study evaluated the susceptibility of planktonic and biofilm cells of Staphylococcus spp. (n = 87), Klebsiella spp. (n = 30), and Escherichia coli (n = 74) isolates originating from food contact surfaces of milk and meat processing plants to benzalkonium chloride (BAC), sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), chloramine B (CAB), and peracetic acid (PAA). Bacterial growth and reduction of viable cells in the presence of disinfectants were determined in tryptone soya broth (TSB) and water, respectively. Biofilm positive isolates (n = 73) were tested for the presence of selected qac genes. Unlike BAC, chlorine‑based disinfectants and PAA were poorly efficient in TSB, especially in the case of biofilms. However, when tested in water, the efficacy of NaClO, CAB and PAA substantially increased, which was particularly evident in biofilms. In water, staphylococcal biofilms were even more susceptible to CAB than planktonic cells. A part (23.3%) of the biofilm positive staphylococci carried the qac genes but did not express an increased resistance to BAC. This study showed that bacterial biofilms protected with organic matter could be one of the main reasons for disinfection failure.  

scholarly journals Cross-contamination in the kitchen: estimation of transfer rates for cutting boards, hands and knives

2008 ◽  
Vol 105 (5) ◽  
pp. 1392-1401 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.D. van Asselt ◽  
A.E.I. de Jong ◽  
R. de Jonge ◽  
M.J. Nauta
Keyword(s):  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Transfer Rates ◽  
Cutting Boards
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