Prevalence of Pathogens and Indicator Organisms in Home Kitchens and Correlation with Unsafe Food Handling Practices and Conditions

2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Borrusso ◽  
Jennifer J. Quinlan
Keyword(s):  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Foodborne Pathogen ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
Indicator Organisms ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Food Handling Practices ◽  
Multiple Pathogens

ABSTRACT Despite education efforts, consumers often practice unsafe food handling and storage behaviors. Little is known about how these unsafe practices contribute to contamination of the home kitchen with foodborne pathogens. In addition, only a limited number of studies have examined the role of the kitchen as a reservoir for pathogens. The purpose of this study was to characterize microbial contamination and foodborne pathogens found in home kitchens and determine whether contamination was significantly associated with unsafe or unsanitary conditions observed in the kitchen. Swab samples were collected from food contact and preparation surfaces in homes (n = 100) in Philadelphia, PA. The samples were tested for coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria. Fecal coliforms were found in 44% of homes (most often in samples from kitchen sinks, sponges, and dishcloths), and E. coli was found in 15% of homes (mostly in samples from kitchen sinks). Nearly half (45%) of the homes tested positive for a foodborne pathogen, and 12% had multiple pathogens present in the kitchen. S. aureus was isolated from 39% of homes, most often from countertops and refrigerator door handles. Listeria spp., including L. monocytogenes and L. innocua, were present in 15% of homes, most often in samples from refrigerator meat drawers. C. jejuni was isolated from 3% of homes. Contamination with Listeria was significantly associated with higher refrigerator temperatures. The contamination of surfaces with fecal coliforms and S. aureus was significantly associated with a lack of cleaning materials: dish soap and paper or cloth towels in the kitchen, and any type of towel in the nearest bathroom. The contamination of a sponge or dishcloth with either fecal coliforms or S. aureus was predictive of other surfaces in the kitchen having the same contamination, indicating that sponges and dishcloths are both reservoirs and vectors for bacteria in the kitchen.

scholarly journals Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) handling features and coliform levels in markets of Maputo City

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar Cambaza ◽  
Luis Gazeta ◽  
Elda Anapakala ◽  
Shigenobu Koseki
Keyword(s):  
Lactuca Sativa ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Well Water ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Maputo City ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Food Handling Practices

Markets from Maputo City have been reported to have poorly hygienic premises and sellers unaware of the safest food handling practices. This study aimed to analyze associations between some lettuce (Lactuca sativa) handling features and the levels of total, fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli. Cabbage was purchased in the 3 markets. Just before the acquisition, the researchers recorded the source of water used to wash it, if they were sold in booths or on the floor, if they were sold mixed with other products, and if the sellers were wearing gloves. The cabbage heads (42) were analyzed through the technique of multiple tubes to estimate the most probable number. Average levels were 14.43 MPN/g for total coliforms, 13.9 MPN/g for fecal coliforms and 12.02 MPN/g for E. coli. The highest levels of contamination seemed associated with the use of well water, the food sold on the floor, the lettuce sold together with other products and the lack of gloves. The mixture of products only showed a major impact on the level of E. coli (p < 0.001). Yet, all levels were within the satisfactory range, according to the guidelines from The International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF).

Risk of Foodborne Illness from Pet Food: Assessing Pet Owners' Knowledge, Behavior, and Risk Perception

2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
pp. 1998-2007
Author(s):  
MERLYN THOMAS ◽  
YAOHUA FENG
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pet Food ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Pet Owners ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Safety Knowledge ◽  
Food Handling Practices

ABSTRACT Pet food has been identified as a source of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella and Escherichia coli. A recent outbreak linked to Salmonella-contaminated pet treats infected >150 people in the United States. The mechanism by which contaminated pet food leads to human illness has not been explicated, and pet owners' food safety knowledge and their pet food handling practices have not been reported. This study was conducted to evaluate pet owners' food safety knowledge and pet food handling practices through an online consumer survey. The survey consisted of 62 questions and assessed (i) owners' food safety knowledge and pet food handling practices; (ii) owners' interaction with pets; and (iii) owners' risk perception related to their own health, their children's health, and their pets' health. The survey was pilot tested among 59 pet owners before distribution to a national consumer panel managed by Qualtrics XM (Provo, UT). All participants (n = 1,040) were dog and/or cat owners in the United States. Almost all pet owners (93%) interacted with their pets, and most cuddled, allowed their pets to lick them, and slept with their pets. Less than one-third of pet owners washed their hands with soap after interacting with their pets. Over half (58%) of the owners reported washing their hands after feeding their pets. Most pet owners fed their pets dry pet food and dry pet treats. Some fed their pets raw meat or raw animal product diets because they believed these diets to be beneficial to the pet's overall health. Many owners (78%) were unaware of pet food recalls or outbreaks associated with foodborne pathogens. Less than 25% considered dry pet foods and treats as a potential source of foodborne pathogens. Pet owners were more concerned when seeing news about pets becoming ill from pet food and less concerned when seeing news about people becoming ill from pet food. The findings of this study indicated the need for consumer education about handling pet food. These results can help researchers develop more accurate risk assessment models and consumer education messages related to pet food handling. HIGHLIGHTS

scholarly journals Investigating the Effects of Time and Temperature on the Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in Raw Cow’s Milk Based on Simulated Consumer Food Handling Practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (15) ◽  
pp. 2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roselyn M. Leclair ◽  
Sarah K. McLean ◽  
Louise A. Dunn ◽  
Denny Meyer ◽  
Enzo A. Palombo
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Cow’S Milk ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Freezing And Thawing ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Food Handling Practices ◽  
Raw Cow’S Milk

Consumption of raw cow’s milk (RCM) is increasing in popularity in developed countries despite the associated foodborne disease risks. While previous research has focused on consumer motivations for drinking RCM, there is limited research on how consumer handling practices may impact the microbiological safety of RCM. In this study, consumer handling practices associated with transport, storage, and freezing and thawing were simulated to investigate the impact of time and temperature variables on the concentrations of either Escherichia coli O157:H7 or Listeria monocytogenes in RCM. We found that the type of storage during simulated transport had a large (η2 = 0.70) and significant (p < 0.001) effect on both pathogens. The refrigeration temperature also had a large (η2 = 0.43) and significant (p < 0.001) effect on both pathogens during refrigerated storage. The interaction between pathogen species and initial pathogen inoculum level had a large (η2 = 0.20) and significant (p = 0.012) effect on the concentration of the pathogens during ambient temperature storage. We found that freezing and thawing practices did not have a significant effect on the pathogens (p > 0.05). However, we were able to recover L. monocytogenes, but not E. coli O157:H7, from RCM after freezing for 365 days. The results from this study highlight that consumer transport and storage practices can have significant effects on the growth of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes in RCM. Consumer food handling practices should be considered when developing public health strategies aimed at reducing the risks of RCM consumption.

Consumer Knowledge of Foodborne Microbial Hazards and Food-Handling Practices

1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
SEAN F. ALTEKRUSE ◽  
DEBRA A. STREET ◽  
SARA B. FEIN ◽  
ALAN S. LEVY
Keyword(s):  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Salmonella Spp ◽  
Raw Meat ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Influence Of Food ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Safe Food ◽  
Food Handling Practices ◽  
Cutting Boards

A national telephone survey was conducted of 1,620 randomly selected U.S. residents who spoke English, were at least 18 years old, and resided in households with kitchen facilities. Respondents were interviewed about their recognition of foodborne pathogens, foods at risk for transmitting infection, knowledge of safe food handling, and food-handling practices. One-third of the respondents who prepared meals reported unsafe food hygiene practices: e.g., they did not wash hands or take precautions to prevent cross-contamination from raw meat. Unsafe practices were reported more often by men, adults 18 to 29 years of age, and occasional food preparers than by women, persons 30 years old or older, and frequent food preparers. Respondents who identified a food vehicle for Salmonella spp. were more likely to report washing their hands and cleaning cutting boards after preparing raw meat and poultry. The results raise concerns about consumer food-handling practices. The influence of food safety training, food-handling experience, and age on food-handling practices should be studied further. Awareness of a food vehicle for Salmonella spp., for example, may indicate knowledge of the etiology of foodborne disease that promotes safe food handling. Understanding the factors associated with safe food handling will assist in development of effective safe-food instruction programs.

scholarly journals Food Safety Training: A Study of Food Handlers Working in Hotels in the North of Jordan

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (26) ◽  
pp. 127
Author(s):  
Ma'moun A. Habiballah ◽  
Firas J. Al-Shakhsheer ◽  
Samer M. Al-Sabi ◽  
Mousa A. Masadeh
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Safety Training ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
The North ◽  
Food Safety Training ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Food Handling Practices

In spite of decenniums of advancement, a numerous foodborne outbreaks continue to occur each year; these were mostly happening due to malpractices of employees working in foodservices. This study aims to investigate the role of food safety training in improving food handlers' practices through the application of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) model. Primary data were collected using a self-completed questionnaires that were collected from 100 Food and Beverage (F&B) employees working in hotels at the north of Jordan. Findings confirmed the role of food safety training in increasing F&B employees’ knowledge which positively correlates with their food handling practices. Furthermore, this study explored work environment elements affecting the transformation of learned knowledge into proper food handling practices; these include management motivation, availability of necessary resources and facilities and reinforcement programs. The study contributed to knowledge by employing the aforementioned variables to produce an adapted version of the KAP model.

Campylobacter in waterborne epidemics in Finland

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.-L. Hänninen ◽  
R. Kärenlampi
Keyword(s):  
Campylobacter Jejuni ◽  
Causative Agent ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
Risk Level ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Indicator Organisms ◽  
Faecal Contamination ◽  
E Coli ◽  
July August September

The sources for drinking water in Finland are surface water, groundwater or artificially recharged groundwater. There are approximately 1400 groundwater plants in Finland that are microbiologically at a high risk level because in most cases they do not use any disinfection treatment. Campylobacter jejuni has caused waterborne epidemics in several countries. Since the middle of the 1980s, C. jejuni has been identified as the causative agent in several waterborne outbreaks in Finland. Between 1998 and 2001, C. jejuni or C. upsaliensis caused seven reported waterborne epidemics. In these epidemics approximately 4000 people acquired the illness. Most of the outbreaks occurred in July, August , September or October. In four of them source water and net water samples were analysed for total coliforms or fecal coliforms, E. coli and campylobacters. We showed that large volumes of water samples in studies of indicator organisms (up to 5000 ml) and campylobacters (4000–20,000 ml) increased the possibility to identify faecal contamination and to detect the causative agent from suspected sources.

Water Quality of Swimming Pools in Jerusalem

1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 287-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Lerman ◽  
O. Lev ◽  
A. Adin ◽  
E. Katzenelson
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
Pathogenic Microorganisms ◽  
Swimming Pools ◽  
Indicator Organisms ◽  
Indicator Microorganisms ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Safe Water ◽  
Indirect Information

The Israel Ministry of Health is now revising its regulations for the assurance of safe water quality in public swimming pools. Since it is not possible to monitor each of the pathogenic microorganisms, it is often recommended to monitor indicator bacteria which provide indirect information on the water quality in the swimming pool. Three indicator microorganisms are often recommended: coliform counts (total coliforms, fecal coliforms or E. Coli), staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa. A four year survey of the water quality of swimming pools in the Jerusalem District was conducted in order to determine whether the monitoring of all three indicators is necessary to assure safe water quality or is it sufficient to monitor only a single microorganism. A statistical analysis, conducted by using several different statistical techniques, reveals that the populations of the three indicator organisms are significantly interdependent but the correlations between each pair of these indicators are not sufficient to base a prediction of any of the organisms based on the measurements of the others. Therefore, it is concluded that monitoring of all three indicators should be recommended in order to provide an adequate picture of the water quality in swimming pools.

scholarly journals Improving safe food-handling practices by increasing self-efficacy

Food Control ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 108361
Author(s):  
Denise van Rijen ◽  
Enrique Mergelsberg ◽  
Gill ten Hoor ◽  
Barbara Mullan
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Safe Food ◽  
Food Handling Practices

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.

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