scholarly journals Microbiological vulnerability of eggs and environmental conditions in conventional and free-range housing systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Arantes Galvão ◽  
Alexander Welker Biondo ◽  
Fábio Sossai Possebon ◽  
Thiago Luis Belém Spina ◽  
Letícia Borges Nunes Correia ◽  
...  

Although Brazil is currently the world’s eighth largest egg exporter, the shift of consumers towards free-range eggs may present new sanitary challenges. This study aims to evaluate the microbiological vulnerability of eggs and environmental conditions in a farm certified for both conventional and free-range systems using two standard methods (enterobacteria counting and Salmonella spp. survey). Two high-producing farms were selected for this study, one under both conventional and free-range systems at the same place as the test farm, and another under conventional system only as a control farm. Enterobacteriaceae counts were determined for eggshells; and detection of Salmonella spp. was conducted in eggs, nest box material, feeder, and sponge samples from water dispensers, feeders, production plant, besides water samples from nipple dispensers and artesian well. The average enterobacteria count (log CFUmL-1) was 0.09 for conventional and 1.73 for free-range systems (p < 0.001). While Salmonella spp. was not detected in the conventional system but was present in one feeder and three eggshells from the free-range system. Therefore, the conventional system demonstrated better hygiene-sanitary status than the free-range one. Moreover, controlling food safety should always be considered when improving animal welfare.

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Harumi Niguma ◽  
Jacinta Sanchez Pelayo ◽  
Tereza Cristina Rocha Moreira de Oliveira

The aims of this study were to evaluate the contamination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa), produced in Londrina, Paraná (PR), with total coliform, coliform at 45 °C, E. coli, and Salmonella spp.; and to determine the E. coli contamination of irrigation water used at the farms studied. Four farms were evaluated, of which three produced lettuce using a conventional system and one using an organic system. An evaluation of the production practices of the farms was also carried out. A total of 111 samples were analyzed, 71 lettuce samples from the conventional system and 40 samples from the organic system. A total of eight irrigation water samples were collected for analysis. Coliform at 45 °C counts above the limit tolerated by Brazilian legislation were observed in 2.8% (2/71) of conventionally grown lettuce samples, and Salmonella spp. was isolated in 1.4% (1/71) of those samples. In the organic lettuce samples, 12.5% (5/40) had coliform at 45 °C counts above the limit tolerated and Salmonella spp. was not detected. Irrigation water samples from three farms were unsatisfactory, with counts higher than 102MPN of E. coli per 100mL. The results of this study demonstrate that most conventionally grown lettuce samples show good sanitary conditions in production, and that lettuce contamination is not related to contamination found in irrigation water samples. The results also showed that the organic production practices required by Brazilian certification agencies should be applied to ensure that contamination of produced lettuce remains controlled.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 688
Author(s):  
Hannah N. Phillips ◽  
Bradley J. Heins

Access to pasture is a main benefit of free-range broiler housing systems, yet the level of outdoor stocking density on broiler animal welfare remains unsettled. The growth, feather damage, pasture ranging and behaviors were assessed for 150 mixed-sex, slow-growing Freedom Rangers from 5 to 11 weeks of age of with free access to either a high outdoor stocking density pasture (0.5 m2 per bird) or a low outdoor stocking density pasture (2.5 m2 per bird). The probability (mean, 95% CI) of tail feather damage was greater for the high-density (23.1%, 16.3 to 31.7%) compared to the low-density group (11.9%, 7.1 to 19.3%). The percent of observations resulting in sunbathing and aggressive attacks (i.e., pecking and fighting behaviors) were greater for the high-density (1.0%, 0.6 to 1.8% and 0.5%, 0.2 to 1.3%, respectively) compared to the low-density group (0.3%, 0.1 to 0.7% and 0.1%, 0.0 to 0.4%, respectively). Furthermore, an interaction between treatment and age indicated that birds in the high-density group displayed greater stretching (during weeks 7 to 10) and panting (during weeks 6 and 9). Results of this study suggest that additional outdoor pasture space may be positively associated with broiler welfare.


2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 2629-2637 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. KIJLSTRA ◽  
B. G. MEERBURG ◽  
A. P. BOS

Animal production systems that offer outdoor access to the animals have become increasingly popular in the Western world due to the growing general discontent of consumers with conventional bioindustrial farming practices. These open production systems offer improved animal welfare but may create new problems for animal health, resulting in increased food safety risks from bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections or environmental contaminants. Examples of these new problems include increased Toxoplasma gondii infections in pigs and high dioxin levels in eggs from free-range hens. In this review, the relation between positive and negative points of free-range and organic livestock production systems is discussed with reference to production in The Netherlands. We investigated how proponents of more animal welfare friendly systems deal with potential negative issues in public and whether any risk communication is used. Generally, we found that the existence of a dilemma is disputed or avoided in communication with the consumer. This avoidance could be detrimental for public trust in alternative animal production systems, should problems occur. To prevent future problems, it will be necessary to communicate about the relevant types and sources of the food safety risks to the consumers. The responsibility for protecting food safety should be properly divided among the various parties involved: producers, processors, governments, nongovernmental organizations, and consumers.


1991 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivor T. Knight ◽  
Jocelyne DiRuggiero ◽  
Rita R. Colwell

Direct detection and enumeration of pathogenic bacteria, rather than indicator organisms, in aquatic environments is desirable but hindered by the difficulties of culturing and identifying specific pathogens from these environments. We have developed a method for concentrating bacteria from water samples and extracting their DNA and RNA for use as targets for pathogen-specific gene probes. The method has been used to detect and enumerate Salmonella spp. in estuarine water samples. The probe binds Salmonella DNA quantitatively, making it possible to estimate relative amounts of target in each sample. Salmonella spp. were detected in samples which yielded no Salmonella spp. using culturing. Since the probe method does not require culturing the target organism, both culturable and non-culturable forms are detected. We have also used polymerase chain reaction to amplify a region of the enterotoxin gene in enterotoxigenic Escherichiacoli and Vibriocholerae (ltx and ctx, respectively). The amplified products are then identified with ctx and ltx probes, making specific, highly sensitive detection possible.


Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Carla Gonçalves ◽  
Ana Gomes ◽  
Alexandra Esteves ◽  
José António Silva ◽  
Cristina Maria Saraiva

The present study aims to contribute to sustainable development goals by increasing knowledge of food safety and food waste of meals produced by the cook–chill system in hospital units. The food waste (FW) of meals served at lunch was evaluated for all new hospitalized patients with light diet (n = 17) and soft texture diet (n = 10), during their hospital stay, using the physical method by weighing for dish and the visual estimation method for the soup. Samples of each diet (light, n = 3; soft texture, n = 3) were also collected in four different moments (after cooked, after cold transportation, after refrigerated storage and after hot regeneration) for detection and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus and enumeration of Escherichia coli, Clostridium spp., Bacillus cereus, Enterobacteriaceae, total viable counts (TVC) at 30 °C, as well as pH, water activity, moisture, ashes and protein. The FW (%) of the light diet (n = 64) was 39.8 ± 6.3 in dish and 14.9 ± 5.4 in soup, and of the soft texture diet (n = 51) was 65.1 ± 9.0 in dish and 39.0 ± 5.8 in soup. Regarding the percentage of protein per meal, both light (8.73%) and soft (3.33%) diets presented on average values lower than those recommended by the WHO (10–15% protein). The value of different microorganisms varied along the production moments; however, the final products in the light diet (after hot regeneration) presented 1.34–1.73 log cfu/g of TVC. Counts of Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus were also obtained at low levels (less than 1 log cfu/g). Besides these results, the risk of foodborne diseases should be considered. The implementation of effective measures to increase food safety and reduce FW in hospital is crucial.


2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Blazar ◽  
Marc Allard ◽  
E. Kurt Lienau

AbstractFood safety is an important consideration worldwide. To maintain and improve our current knowledge of foodborne disease outbreaks, we must understand some of the more imminent issues related to food safety. A variety of agents are responsible for transmitting the estimated 76 million cases of illnesses caused by foodborne pathogens every year. This review explores why insects pose a serious health concern, in terms of worldwide food safety initiatives, by looking at evidence in published <abs>Food safety is an important consideration worldwide. To maintain and improve our current knowledge of foodborne disease outbreaks, we must understand some of the more imminent issues related to food safety. A variety of agents are responsible for transmitting the estimated 76 million cases of illnesses caused by foodborne pathogens every year. This review explores why insects pose a serious health concern, in terms of worldwide food safety initiatives, by looking at evidence in published literature. We highlight at least eleven different species of insects, including the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer); secondary screwworm, Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius); synanthropic flies [flesh fly, Sarcophaga carnaria (L.); house fly, Musca domestica (L.); fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen); and stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)], American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.); German cockroach, Blatella germanica (L.); Oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis (L.); Pacific beetle cockroach, Diploptera punctata (Eschscholtz); and Speckled feeder cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea (Olivier), which act as vectors for Salmonella spp. or Escherichia coli and illustrate how these insects are successful vectors of foodborne disease outbreaks. We propose that insects be considered as one of the latest issues in food safety initiatives. Not only are some insects extremely important contributors to diseases, but now we suggest that more research into insects as potential carriers of E. coli and Salmonella spp., and therefore as contributing to foodborne disease outbreaks, is granted.


1997 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-171
Author(s):  
John Hill ◽  
Carol Asby ◽  
Ian Sturgess

This paper considers what animal welfare is and the importance of animal welfare to the consumer. It also considers how different production systems are perceived in terms of kindness to animals, and outlines a method of assessing the costs of animal welfare by analysing the costs of intensive egg and broiler production and comparing them with costs of free-range production by using data from the UK. The extra costs associated with free-range production are due to higher labour, feed, building and equipment costs.


Author(s):  
Jelena VRANEŠEVIĆ́ ◽  
Suzana VIDAKOVIĆ́ ◽  
Slobodan KNEŽEVIĆ́ ◽  
Miloš PELIĆ́ ◽  
Zoran RUŽIĆ́ ◽  
...  

International trade requires food safety guarantees based on specialized hygiene standards, transparency procedures, and programs. Meat, because of its high water content and nutrition, can be an ideal medium for microorganism growth and multiplication. Salmonella, as one of the most common pathogens that can be transmitted from animals to humans, causes major public health problems worldwide. Although mortality is low, the disease has important social and economic consequences. Based on governmental regulation, Serbia runs an active, official control of Salmonella in meat. From January to December 2017, 193 samples of imported pork, beef, lamb, kid, and poultry meat were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp. Only one (0.52%) of all analyzed samples was positive to Salmonella spp. The positive sample was frozen chicken drumsticks together with thighs originated from Poland, which makes 6.67% of the total examined poultry meat samples. Infected poultry is one of the most important reservoirs of Salmonella that are transmitted to humans through the food chain. The identity of the isolated strain was biochemically and serologically confirmed to be Salmonella Infantis. This pathogen is in the 4th place of most common Salmonella serovar among human isolates in Europe and the most common serovar isolated from poultry meat. In order to decrease the prevalence of Salmonella spp. it is necessary to maintain all the food safety standards through the whole food chain, from farm to fork.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-24
Author(s):  
Shashikala Kokcha ◽  
Harsha Chatrath

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to make sure that the Bird valley’s quarry water is suitable for drinking purposes or not and to monitor the seasonal variations in the physico-chemical parameters of this quarry water. Methodology: Water samples from the quarry were collected in clean and sterilized polyethylene bottles. Water samples were collected from different points and mixed together to get an integrated sample. Some of the selected physico-chemical parameters of the quarry water have been analyzed. Results were compared with standard limits of IS: 10500-2012. All the parameters were analyzed in the laboratory by using standard methods and techniques. Main Findings: As per the obtained results this quarry water contains a very large number of Coliforms detected in the months of September and December and in June month Coliform count was 33 CFU/ml. This overall result for coliform is making this quarry water unfit for domestic purposes. Applications of this study: This study helps us to understand the current condition of this quarry water and also enables us to know whether the quarry water is fit for drinking purposes. It also enables us to know whether this quarry water can be used for domestic purposes after the treatment. Novelty/Originality of this study: Bird valley’s quarry water has not been analyzed from this point of view till date. This study will help us to understand the present condition of the water.


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