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Sufficiency of safe and prime-quality food is one of the priorities of modern society. In meat production, an important measure to prevent zoonotic agents being transferred from animals to humans via meat is modern meat inspection. Systems for food safety assurance at the level of food producers include HACCP and GMP. One of the methods for validation and verification of GMP and HACCP systems is the implementation of process hygiene criteria at slaughterhouses. In case of the occurrence of foodborne disease, reliable and fast methods for detection of the causative agent are necessary.

An experimental study was carried out to establish whether the draft EEC method for the determination of the global migration of constituents from plastics packaging materials into fatty food stimulants could be applied to all plastics, including lacquers and laminates. Some difficulties were encountered in the use of the EEC method for melamine, for hotmelt-coated packaging materials and for laminates containing one or more layers of materials sensitive to moisture, such as paper, cardboard or regenerated cellulose film. Chemicals/CAS: cellulose, 61991-22-8, 68073-05-2, 9004-34-6; melamine, 108-78-1, 25778-04-5; Dietary Fats; Plastics

An experimental study was carried out to establish whether the draft EEC method for the determination of the global migration of constituents from plastics packaging materials into fatty food stimulants could be applied to all plastics, including lacquers and laminates. Some difficulties were encountered in the use of the EEC method for melamine, for hotmelt-coated packaging materials and for laminates containing one or more layers of materials sensitive to moisture, such as paper, cardboard or regenerated cellulose film. Chemicals/CAS: cellulose, 61991-22-8, 68073-05-2, 9004-34-6; melamine, 108-78-1, 25778-04-5; Dietary Fats; Plastics

Samples of barley, wheat and maize were analysed for deoxynivalenol (DON). Samples were extracted with aqueous chloroform-ethanol. The extract was purified by column chromatography on silica gel. DON was derivatised with heptafluorobutyric (HFB) acid anhydride. The glassware was silylated to prevent deterioration of the HFB derivative, which stabilised the samples for at least 11 weeks. Quantitation was done by capillary gas chromatography using electron-capture detection. Confirmation was obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The limit of determination was 0.02 mg/kg. Recoveries of DON averaged 99% with a coefficient of variation of 10.8%. ?? 1986 Springer-Verlag. Chemicals/CAS: vomitoxin, 51481-10-8; deoxynivalenol, 51481-10-8; Sesquiterpenes; Trichothecenes

Samples of barley, wheat and maize were analysed for deoxynivalenol (DON). Samples were extracted with aqueous chloroform-ethanol. The extract was purified by column chromatography on silica gel. DON was derivatised with heptafluorobutyric (HFB) acid anhydride. The glassware was silylated to prevent deterioration of the HFB derivative, which stabilised the samples for at least 11 weeks. Quantitation was done by capillary gas chromatography using electron-capture detection. Confirmation was obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The limit of determination was 0.02 mg/kg. Recoveries of DON averaged 99% with a coefficient of variation of 10.8%. ?? 1986 Springer-Verlag. Chemicals/CAS: vomitoxin, 51481-10-8; deoxynivalenol, 51481-10-8; Sesquiterpenes; Trichothecenes

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains isolated from humans, cattle, and food and belonging to serogroups O26 (7 strains), O111 (19 strains), and O157 (70 strains) were examined for susceptibility to 11 antimicrobial drugs. Fifty-nine strains showing resistance to at least one of the drugs were examined by PCR for the presence of class 1 integrons, which were identified in 17 strains. Integrons were found more frequently in strains belonging to serogroups O111 and O26 than in the O157 isolates. DNA sequence analysis demonstrated that most of the integrons contained the aadA1 gene cassette conferring resistance to streptomycin/ spectinomycin, alone or associated with the drfA1 gene cassette conferring resistance to trimethoprim. One integron, identified in a O157:H7 strain, carried the aadA2 and dfrA12 gene cassettes, conferring resistance to streptomycin/spectinomycin and trimethoprim, and the open reading frame F (OrfF) encoding unknown functions. Most of the integrons were carried by Tn21 derivative transposons and were transferable by conjugation to an E. coli K-12 strain. In conclusion, integrons and antibiotic resistance genes can be frequently found in EHEC strains, particularly E. coli O111 and E. coli O26, and their presence could complicate therapeutic trials.

A vast multitude of food products is currently offered by internet trade. The two largest platforms in Germany alone have more than 250,000 products in the sale. A manual control of these websites by the food safety authorities (e. g. regarding the sale of products with unapproved ingredients, the advertisement with misleading claim or the lack of mandatory food information) appears to be difficult not only for reasons of the necessary personnel expenditure of time but also as searches with lists of suspicious product groups or keywords (e. g. novel food ingredients) reduce the search hits to already known problems. Furthermore, this would allow the dishonest vendor to remove himself from controls by avoiding those keywords, if they become known. For these reasons, a productive approach could be to employ a software system, which identifies suspicious products automatically using data analytical methods (similar to e-mail spam filtering). In the context of a feasibility study, we have evaluated different text mining and data analysis techniques such as PCA and SVM. Using a testset with 100 products, an extremely sufficient detection quota was reached (only 1 product was false-positively classified as suspicious using SVM). This approach shows great promise to improve the food control of the internet market. Due to the complexity of the processes, such investigations could be conducted by a central authority, which would need not only expertise in the software approaches but also expert knowledge in food evaluation, which is required for training of the classification algorithms.

Growing microorganisms on dry surfaces, which results in exposure to low water activity (aw), may change their normal morphology and physiological activity. In this study, the morphological changes and cell viability of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis challenged to low a w were analyzed. The results indicated that exposure to reduced aw induced filamentation of the cells. The amount of filamentous cells at aw 0.94 was up to 90% of the total number of cells. Surviving filamentous cells maintained their membrane integrity after exposure to low aw for 21 days. Furthermore, cells prechallenged to low a w, obtained with an ionic humectant, demonstrated higher resistance to sodium hypochlorite than control cells. These resistant cells are able to survive disinfection more efficiently and can therefore cause contamination of foods coming in contact with surfaces. This points to the need for increased attention to cleaning of surfaces in household environments and disinfection procedures in processing plants. Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection.

Background A fast and simple two-step multiplex real-time PCR assay has been developed to replace the traditional, laborious Salmonella serotyping procedure. Molecular beacons were incorporated into the assay as probes for target DNA. Target sequences were regions of the invA, prot6E and fliC genes specific for Salmonella spp. Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium, respectively, the two most clinically relevant serotypes. An internal amplification positive control was included in the experiment to ensure the optimal functioning of the PCR and detect possible PCR inhibition. Three sets of primers were used for the amplification of the target sequences. The results were compared to those of the Kauffmann-White antigenic classification scheme. Results The assay was 100% sensitive and specific, correctly identifying all 44 Salmonella strains, all 21 samples of S. Enteritidis and all 17 samples of S. Typhimurium tested in this work. Therefore, the entire experiment had specificity and sensitivity of 100%. The detection limit was down to 10 copies of DNA target per 25 μl reaction. Conclusion The assay can amplify and analyse a large number of samples in approximately 8 hours, compared to the 4 to 5 days conventional identification takes, and is thus considered a very promising method for detecting the two major serotypes of Salmonella quickly and accurately from clinical and environmental samples.

Background Both O157 and non-O157 Shiga toxin - producing Escherichia coli (STECs) cause serious human disease outbreaks through the consumption of contaminated foods. Cattle are considered the main reservoir but it is unclear how STECs affect mature animals. Neonatal calves are the susceptible age class for STEC infections causing severe enteritis. In an earlier study, we determined that mycotoxins and STECs were part of the disease complex for dairy cattle with Jejunal Hemorrhage Syndrome (JHS). For STECs to play a role in the development of JHS, we hypothesized that STEC colonization should also be evident in beef cattle with JHS. Aggressive medical and surgical therapies are effective for JHS, but rely on early recognition of clinical signs for optimal outcomes suggesting that novel approaches must be developed for managing this disease. The main objective of this study was to confirm that mouldy feeds, mycotoxins and STEC colonization were associated with the development of JHS in beef cattle. Results Beef cattle developed JHS after consuming feed containing several types of mycotoxigenic fungi including Fusarium poae, F. verticillioides, F. sporotrichioides, Penicillium roqueforti and Aspergillus fumigatus. Mixtures of STECs colonized the mucosa in the hemorrhaged tissues of the cattle and no other pathogen was identified. The STECs expressed Stx1 and Stx2, but more significantly, Stxs were also present in the blood collected from the lumen of the hemorrhaged jejunum. Feed extracts containing mycotoxins were toxic to enterocytes and 0.1% of a prebiotic, Celmanax Trademark, removed the cytotoxicity in vitro. The inclusion of a prebiotic in the care program for symptomatic beef calves was associated with 69% recovery. Conclusions The current study confirmed that STECs and mycotoxins are part of the disease complex for JHS in beef cattle. Mycotoxigenic fungi are only relevant in that they produce the mycotoxins deposited in the feed. A prebiotic, Celmanax Trademark, acted as a mycotoxin binder in vitro and interfered with the progression of disease.