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European countries are investing in strengthening disease surveillance from a One Health (OH) perspective. During the MATRIX project, in the context of the One Health European Joint Programme, existing surveillance chains across the sectors of animal health, food safety, and public health have been investigated through questionnaires. Provided information has then been selected to be displayed in a single slide using an implemented mapping template. Two real-life scenarios are presented as case studies: the surveillance activities in place in France for Salmonella in the pork meat food chain, and in Norway for Listeria monocytogenes in the dairy food chain. The results collected through the questionnaires and the lessons learnt during the mapping process are reported, to share the advantages and drawbacks of the methodology. Moreover, the presented template could be adjusted and applied to different contexts. Mapping the components of existing disease surveillance systems is a fundamental step in understanding the relationships between its components, and subsequently facilitating their collaboration and integration under a OH approach.

OHEJP project: MATRIX: the present deliverable of MATRIX Work Package 2, tasks 3, suggests best-practice guidelines for data collection, analysis and dissemination aimed at multi-sectorial OH collaboration, for each specific hazard track.

Source at https://vkm.no/ At request from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA), VKM has identified food groups and food items consumed by the Norwegian population that are relevant for monitoring regarding content of one or more undesirable chemical substances (Figure 1). Undesirable chemical substances were defined as chemical substances in food that may constitute a potential health risk. VKM has created a knowledge base (an Excel file) as a tool for planning and prioritising monitoring of foods and undesirable chemical substances. The substance groups included in the knowledge base are flavourings, food additives, metals and metalloids, natural toxins, persistent organic pollutants, process-induced contaminants, substances in food contact materials, substances in food supplements, and trace elements. More than 40 different substances were included.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a ubiquitous bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious foodborne illness. In the nature-to-human transmission route, Lm can prosper in various ecological niches. Soil and decaying organic matter are its primary reservoirs. Certain clonal complexes (CCs) are over-represented in food production and represent a challenge to food safety. To gain new understanding of Lm adaptation mechanisms in food, the genetic background of strains found in animals and environment should be investigated in comparison to that of food strains. Twenty-one partners, including food, environment, veterinary and public health laboratories, constructed a dataset of 1484 genomes originating from Lm strains collected in 19 European countries. This dataset encompasses a large number of CCs occurring worldwide, covers many diverse habitats and is balanced between ecological compartments and geographic regions. The dataset presented here will contribute to improve our understanding of Lm ecology and should aid in the surveillance of Lm. This dataset provides a basis for the discovery of the genetic traits underlying Lm adaptation to different ecological niches.

In this contribution, the antimicrobial susceptibility toward 11 antibiotics and four biocides of a panel of 205 Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) strains isolated from different ecological niches (i.e., food, animals and natural environment) was evaluated. The impact of exposure to biocides on the antibiotic susceptibilities of Lm was also investigated. Lm strains isolated from food exhib-ited overall a lower susceptibility (higher minimal inhibitory concentrations, MIC) for ammonium quaternary compounds (QACs) and peracetic acid (PAC) than strains isolated from animals and natural environments. Conversely, the ecological origins of Lm strains did not significantly affect their susceptibilities towards antibiotics. Interestingly, repeated exposure to QACs recurrently led to a decrease in susceptibility toward ciprofloxacin (CIP), a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, largely used in human medicine. Moreover, these lower levels of susceptibility to CIP remained stable in most Lm strains even after subcultures without biocide selection pressure, suggesting an adaptation involving modifications at the genetic level. Results underlined the ability of Lm to adapt to biocides, especially QACs, and the potential link between this adaptation and the selection of resistance toward critical antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin. These data support a potential role of the extensive use of QACs from “farm to fork” in the selection of biocide and antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria such as Lm.

A risk-based approach was developed to be followed by food business operators (FBO) when deciding on the type of date marking (i.e. 'best before' date or 'use by' date), setting of shelf-life (i.e. time) and the related information on the label to ensure food safety. The decision on the type of date marking needs to be taken on a product-by-product basis, considering the relevant hazards, product characteristics, processing and storage conditions. The hazard identification is food product-specific and should consider pathogenic microorganisms capable of growing in prepacked temperature-controlled foods under reasonably foreseeable conditions. The intrinsic (e.g. pH and a(w)), extrinsic (e.g. temperature and gas atmosphere) and implicit (e.g. interactions with competing background microbiota) factors of the food determine which pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms can grow in the food during storage until consumption. A decision tree was developed to assist FBOs in deciding the type of date marking for a certain food product. When setting the shelf-life, the FBO needs to consider reasonably foreseeable conditions of distribution, storage and use of the food. Key steps of a case-by-case procedure to determine and validate the shelf-life period are: (i) identification of the relevant pathogenic/spoilage microorganism and its initial level, (ii) characterisation of the factors of the food affecting the growth behaviour and (iii) assessment of the growth behaviour of the pathogenic/spoilage microorganism in the food product during storage until consumption. Due to the variability between food products and consumer habits, it was not appropriate to present indicative time limits for food donated or marketed past the 'best before' date. Recommendations were provided relating to training activities and support, using 'reasonably foreseeable conditions' collecting time-temperature data during distribution, retail and domestic storage of foods and developing Appropriate Levels of Protection and/or Food Safety Objectives for food-pathogen combinations. (C) 2020 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.

Introduction: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen causing listeriosis (Schlech et al., 1983; Cartwright et al., 2013). The mortality rate can exceed 25% and listeriosis has the highest proportion of hospitalisation cases of all zoonotic diseases under EU surveillance (EFSA, 2017). L. monocytogenes infections are most commonly reported in people over 64 years old. The trend for an increase in foodborne listeriosis has been attributed to the rising proportion of older people, along with the higher consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) food products (Cartwright et al., 2013; EFSA, 2017; Rossi et al., 2008).[...), The study and project description was financially supported by the Norwegian Research Funding for Agriculture and Food Industry (grant no. 207765) and the Norwegian Research Council (grant No 221663/F40 and 256259).

Sensitive methods for enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) are needed to verify compliance with microbiological criteria in ready-to-eat foods. Here, we assessed the reference EN ISO 11290-2 method and three modifications of it with lower threshold levels for enumeration in terms of specificity, false results and practical limitations for use. Two of the methods, called the EURL and the Cyprus protocols, use membrane filtration to obtain a more concentrated test suspension, and the third, called the Norway protocol, uses less diluent. This study included 18 samples of foods naturally contaminated with L. monocytogenes at concentrations of 0.2-80 CFU/g. All four tested methods yielded valid results with good repeatability (Fisher’s test, p, FR; PDF; corresponding author: lena.barre@anses.fr, {"references":["AFNOR. 1998. Analyse des produits agricoles et alimentaires – Procédure de validation intra-laboratoire d'une méthode alternative par rapport à une méthode de référence – Cas de méthodes d'analyse quantitatives. AFNOR NF V03-110; Association française de normalisation, La Plaine Saint-Denis, France","AFNOR. 2009. Poissons transformés - Méthode pour le dénombrement de Listeria monocytogenes aux faibles niveaux de contamination dans le saumon fumé et la truite fumée.","NF V45-008. Association française de normalisation, La Plaine Saint-Denis, France","Anonymous. 2000. Rapport de la commission d'étude des risques liés à Listeria monocytogenes, juillet 2000, AFSSA. Maisons Alfort : Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments, 143 p.","Barre L, Brasseur E, Doux C, Lombard B, Gnanou Besse N. 2015. Sensitive enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species in various naturally contaminated matrices using a membrane filtration method. Food microbiology 48:171-177.","Baudouin N, Lombard B, Audinet N, Gnanou Besse N. 2010. Enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes at low contamination levels in several food matrices using a membrane filtration method. Food Analytical Methods 3:54-64.","Buchanan RL, Gorris LGM, Hayman MM, Jackson TC, Whiting RC. 2017. A review of Listeria monocytogenes: An update on outbreaks, virulence, dose-response, ecology, and risk assessments. Food Control, 75:1-13, 10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.12.016","EFSA. 2007. Scientific opinion of the panel on biological hazards on a request from the European Commission on Request for updating the former SCVPH opinion on Listeria monocytogenes risk related to ready-to-eat foods and scientific advice on different levels of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and the related risk for human illness. EFSA Journal 59:1-42.","European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). 2012. The European Union Summary Report on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents and Food-borne Outbreaks in 2010. EFSA Journal 10(3):2597.","EFSA BIOHAZ Panel (EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards), Ricci A, Allende A, Bolton D, Chemaly M, Davies R, Fernández Escámez PS, Girones R, Herman L, Koutsoumanis K, Nørrung B, Robertson L, Ru G, Sanaa M, Simmons M, Skandamis P, Snary E, Speybroeck N, Ter Kuile B, Threlfall J, Wahlström H, Takkinen J, Wagner M, Arcella D, Da Silva Felicio MT, Georgiadis M, Messens W, Lindqvist R. 2018. Scientific Opinion on the Listeria monocytogenes contamination of ready-to-eat foods and the risk for human health in the EU. EFSA Journal 16(1):5134, 173 pp.","Gnanou Besse N, Beaufort A, Rudelle S, Denis C, Lombard B. 2008. Evaluation of an enumeration method for Listeria monocytogenes at low contamination levels in cold-smoked salmon. International Journal of Food Microbiology 124: 271-274.","Gnanou Besse N, Audinet N, Barre L, Cauquil A, Cornu M, Colin P. 2006. Effect of the inoculum size on Listeria monocytogenes growth in solid media. International Journal of Food Microbiology 110:43-51.","Gnanou Besse N, Colin P. 2004. Enumerating Listeria monocytogenes in food: a problem of low numbers. Journal of Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology 12: 83-105.","Hunt K, Vacelet M, Jordan K. 2017. Determination of Listeria monocytogenes numbers at less than 10 CFU/g. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 56(1):25-30","ISO. 1998. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - horizontal method for detection and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes, part 2. Enumeration method. International standard ISO 11290-2. Geneva: International Organisation for Standardisation.","ISO. 2004. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for detection and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes, Part 2. Enumeration method, Amendment 1: 2004. Modification of the enumeration medium. International Standard ISO 11290-2. Geneva: International Organisation for Standardisation.","Jadhav S, Bhave M, Palombo EA. 2012. Methods used for the detection and subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes. Journal of microbiological methods 88(3):327-341.","Skjerdal T, Reitehaug E, Eckner K. 2014. Development of performance objectives for Listeria monocytogenes contaminated salmon (Salmo salar) intended used as sushi and sashimi based on analysis of naturally contaminated samples. International Journal of Food Microbiology 184:8-13","Välimaa AL, Tilsala-Timisjärvi A, Virtanen E. 2015. Rapid detection and identification methods for Listeria monocytogenes in the food chain–A review. Food Control 55:103-114."]}

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) and Norwegian Environmental Authority (NEA) asked the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) for an opinion on factors associated with the introduction of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) to Norway. VKM appointed a working group consisting of two members of the Panel on Biological Hazards, one member of Panel on Animal Health and Welfare, and two external experts to prepare the answer to the questions. The Panel on Biological Hazards has reviewed and revised the draft prepared by the working group and approved the opinion. CWD was diagnosed in March 2016 in a wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) from the Nordfjella mountain area in Norway and in May and June in two mooses (Alces alces) in Selbu in South Trøndelag County, approximately 300 km north from the first case. There is currently no information to determine the origin(s) of CWD agents in Norway. However, the sporadic or genetic (somatic mutation) occurrence of prion disease in cervids cannot be excluded, nor can introduction from North America or other countries. Furthermore, there is no evidence that it has not been circulating at low levels in the Norwegian cervid populations for years, but has not previously been identified. In this scientific opinion, information on prion diseases in general, and CWD in particular, is presented in the light of experiences with this disease in North America. Prions are among the most resilient pathogens known and dissemination of prions into ecosystems is likely to result in long-term problems. Prions bind strongly to soil and remain infectious. In CWD, prions are present in most peripheral organs and also shed into the environment via saliva, faeces, and urine, as well as with the placenta. CWD transmits easily among cervids, either through direct contact, or indirectly via the environment. Migration of animals is relevant for the spread between areas. Strain diversification might occur in CWD and may influence transmission properties of the agents. Clinical signs of CWD are non-specific and do not alone enable confirmation of the diagnosis. Analysis of tissue from the brainstem at the level of the obex by approved methods is necessary for diagnosis of CWD. Prion infectivity is assessed by bioassays, often involving transgenic mice. In vitro conversion assays, like protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), provide sensitive quantification of converting activity, which is a good approximation of infectivity. Genetic variation (polymorphisms) in the gene that encodes PrP (PRNP) can modulate sensitivity towards CWD. The level of such genetic variation in Norwegian wild and semi- domesticated cervids is currently unknown. Cattle and sheep are at very low risk of developing CWD and it is highly unlikely that prion diseases in sheep or cattle are the origin of CWD. VKM Report 2016: 26 6 Although transmission of CWD to humans has never been known to occur, and animals other than cervids have not been found to be infected, indicating a species barrier, this possibility cannot be excluded. Thus, measures for reduction of human exposure are recommended. Taking into account uncertainties regarding the plasticity of the CWD agents and the lack of transmission data from the Norwegian isolates, this scientific opinion considers the zoonotic risk of CWD to be very low.

Denne rapporten er finansiert gjennom Fiskeridepartementets satsing på ”Produktutvikling og Næringsmiddelteknologi for fiskeindustrien”. Hyse er et problematisk råstoff å håndtere ved at den lett blir bløt. Begrepet bløt hyse relateres både til at muskelen er bløt og at muskelen spalter lett når en skjærer filet. For industrien er spaltningen som hovedsakelig oppstår under skinningen av filetene det store problemet. Problemet er størst på sommerstid med mye åte og høye temperaturer, men er tilstede hele året ved at islagret hyse etter 4-6 dager ikke tåler maskinell skinning uten å spalte. I dette arbeidet er det forsøkt å kartlegge problemet gjennom samtaler med folk i næringen og med innledende forsøk for å karakterisere hysemuskel, etablere metode for gradering, behandle rund hyse før filetering og for å reparere spaltet filet. I dette arbeidet er det ikke kommet frem klare resultat på hvordan problemet med bløt hyse kan reduseres. Men det er kartlagt mer rundt problemstillingen og det et er kommet fram interessante resultat som bør følges opp. Rapport/Report 26/2002 English summary Bløt hyse. Innledende studier

Det nedklasses og kasseres årlig flere titalls tonn saltfisk og klippfisk. I dette prosjektet er det undersøkt om denne ressursen kan nyttegjøres i produksjon av fermentert fiskesaus. Fiskesaus er et utbredt produkt i Sør-Øst Asia. Den framstilles ved å la to deler fisk og en del salt stå til det har blitt en gylden saus med fyldig aroma. Dette tar fra 6 måneder til 2 år. Målet med prosjektet er å identifisere og karakterisere halofile bakterier som gir gunstig og rask smaksutvikling i fermentert fiskesaus, og anvende disse til produksjon av startkulturer og fiskesaus fra nedklasset saltfisk. Forsøkene har vist at de kan produseres fiskesaus fra saltfisk uten andre tilsetninger enn vann og salt, men modningsprosessen tar mer enn 2 år. Tilsetning av smaksutviklende bakterier, torskeslo og sild gir imidlertid moden saus av god kvalitet i løpet av 6-8 måneder. De smaksutviklende isolatene er funnet etter analyser av ca 220 bakterieisolater fra saltfisk og fiskesaus. Den mest effektive bakterien for produksjon av fiskesaus er en rødmiddbakterie. Arbeidet med kultursamlingen har gitt mange nye ideer til anvendelse av nedklasset saltfisk. Samlingen er et godt utgangspunkt for bioprospektering av biokjemikalier som er tilpasset høye eller vekslende saltkonsentrasjoner. Prosjektet har også gitt verdifulle kunnskap for produktutvikling i saltfiskindustrien. Denne rapporten er, med unntak av kapittel 6, identisk med sluttrapporten til Norges Forskningsråd for prosjektet “Identifisering av halofile bakterier for rask produksjon av fiskesaus fra nedklasset saltfisk”. Rapport/Report 13/2001 English summary Produksjon av fermentert fiskesaus fra nedklasset saltfisk, sild,pyllorus og startkultur

Målet med utprøving av nye metoder og teknologiske løsninger for utvanning av salt- og klippfisk har vært å forbedre vektutbytte, oppnå jevnere saltinnhold, redusere utvanningstiden samtidig som den sensorisk kvaliteten blir bevart. Utvanning av klippfisk ved bruk av trommel har tidligere vist at utvanningstiden kan reduseres sammenlignet med tradisjonell utvanning (Olsen 2000 a). I våre forsøk gav 2 timers vakuumtromling av saltfiskbiter et saltinnhold på ca 2% (vannbytte etter 1 time). I de vakuumtromlede bitene ble det registrert et ujevnt saltinnhold mellom bitene. I forsøk på å oppnå mer jevnt saltinnhold i muskelen ble utvanningen med vakuumtrommel etterfulgt av et justeringstrinn i 2% saltlake. Etter justering ble saltinnholdet i muskelen for høyt (5-6%). I videre forsøk ble saltfisk fileter injisert med vann før utvanning av biter i vakuumtrommel i 2 timer etterfulgt av justering i ytterligere 2 timer. Etter utvanning (total utvanningstid 4 timer) ble saltinnholdet i bitene målt til ca 2%. Saltinnholdet i prøvebitene ble sensorisk vurdert som homogent i muskelen. Tilsvarende forsøk med hel filet viste forskjell i saltinnhold mellom tynne (3%) og tykke (6%) deler av fileter. Det var derimot liten forskjell i saltinnhold mellom stor og liten filet. Sensorisk ble noen biter vurdert som uakseptabel fordi tromlingen påførte bitene til dels stor mekanisk skade. Skadene var størst der muskelen var spaltet før utvanning. Forsøkene har vist at en gjennom utvanning med stikkinjisering (2 omganger) kombinert med vakuumtromling etterfulgt av et justeringstrinn oppnår et saltinnhold på ca 2% etter 4 timers utvanning. Tradisjonell utvanning tar 24-48 timer. Rapport/Report 16/2001 English summary Nye utvanningsmetoder for saltfisk

I rapporten sammenlignes tre metoder for utvanning av klippfiskbiter; tradisjonell utvanning, vakuumutvanning og utvanning med justert saltkonsentrasjon i vannet. Metodene sammenlignes med hensyn til jevnt saltinnhold i tykke og tynne biter, sensorisk kvalitet, mikrobiologisk kvalitet, og vektøkning. Utvanning med justert saltkonsentrasjon gav best utjevning av saltinnholdet. Alle metodene gav god sensorisk kvalitet, men de tynne bitene i den justerte metoden var signifikant forskjellige fra tilsvarende biter i de andre metodene og mer lik de tykke bitene. Den tradisjonelle metoden gav best mikrobiologisk kvalitet under utvanning og den justerte dårligst. Både utvanning med justert saltinnhold og vakuumutvanning gav høyere vektøkning enn tradisjonell utvanning. Utvanning av klippfisk