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Prevention of morbidity in the child population from septic foodborne infections caused by the new bacterial pathogen Enterobacter sakazakii (according to the new classification - Cronobacter spp.) is becoming increasingly relevant due to an expanding contingent of susceptible individuals and the proven ability of low doses of the pathogen to quickly increase a population in dry specialized products for formula feeding after rehydration. In this regard, it is important to assess the risk of accumulation of thermoresistant coliform enterobacteria, including Cronobacter spp., in residual microflora of such products during their production in order to determine ways to minimize it. To identify a hazardous factor in specialized infant formula of domestic production, we summarized and analyzed expert data on contamination of 245 samples of infant formula and 182 cereals with the entire spectrum of coliform enterobacteria, which were previously identified as Enterobacter sakazakii (Cronobacter spp.). Cronobacter spp. was detected in 4 samples of instant formula (1.6 %) in amounts ranging from 0.04 to 0.5 CFU/g, which is above the hazardous level (≥ 0.003 CFU/g) for susceptible children. No pathogen was isolated from dry mixtures for cooking and instant porridges produced by dry mixing but the content of heat-resistant Enterobacter spp. was 10 times higher than those produced during the full cycle. Using a risk process model and assuming the content of coliforms in raw milk at the level of the regulated microbial number, probability of pathogen survival in dry mixtures was assessed under standard parameters of spray drying technology. The calculation results showed that under this scenario of raw material contamination, 0.3–0.5 CFU of heat-resistant E.sakazakii (Cronobacter spp.) can be retained in 1 g of a finished product. This substantiates the necessity to introduce the strongest possible requirements for the microbiological quality of raw milk.

In the context of climate change and depletion of natural resources, meeting the growing demand for animal feed and human food through sufficient, nutritious, safe, and affordable sources of protein is becoming a priority. The use of Hermetia illucens, the black soldier fly (BSF), has emerged as a strategy to enhance the circularity of the agri-food chain, but its microbiological safety remains a concern. The aim of the present study was to systematically review available data on the microbiological quality of BSF and to investigate the impact of using four different rearing substrates including classic options allowed by the EU regulation (cereals, fruits, vegetables) and options not allowed by EU regulations regarding vegetable agri-food (co-products, food at shelf life, and meat). A total of 13 studies were collected and synthesized, including 910 sample results, while 102 new sample results were collected from the present experiments in three farms. Both datasets combined revealed a high level of contamination of larvae, potentially transmitted through the substrate. The main pathogenic bacteria identified were Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Cronobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus coagulase-positive, while Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected. Any of these four substrates were excluded for their use in insect rearing; however, safety concerns were confirmed and must be managed by the operators of the sector using microbial inactivation treatment after the harvest of the larvae in order to propose safe products for the market. The results obtained will guide the definition of the control criteria and optimize the following manufacturing steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodborne disease caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is one of the most important food safety issues worldwide. The objectives of this study were to carry out microbial monitoring on the prevalence of NTS in commercial ground pork, investigate consumption patterns, and conduct a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) that considers cross‐contamination to determine the risk caused by consuming ground pork and ready‐to‐eat food contaminated during food handling in the kitchen in Chengdu, China. The food pathway of ground pork was simplified and assumed to be several units according to the actual situation and our survey data, which were collected from our research or references and substituted into the QMRA model for simulation. The results showed that the prevalence of NTS in ground pork purchased in Chengdu was 69.64% (95% confidence interval [CI], 60.2–78.0), with a mean contamination level of −0.164 log CFU/g. After general cooking, NTS in ground pork could be eliminated (contamination level of zero). The estimated probability of causing salmonellosis per day was 9.43E‐06 (95% CI: 8.82E‐06–1.00E‐05), while the estimated salmonellosis cases per million people per year were 3442 (95% CI: 3218–3666). According to the sensitivity analysis, the occurrence of cross‐contamination was the most important factor affecting the probability of salmonellosis. To reduce the risk of salmonellosis caused by NTS through ground pork consumption, reasonable hygiene prevention and control measures should be adopted during food preparation to reduce cross‐contamination. This study provides valuable information for household cooking and food safety management in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of climate change and depletion of natural resources, meeting the growing demand for animal feed and human food through sufficient, nutritious, safe, and affordable sources of protein is becoming a priority. The use of Hermetia illucens, the black soldier fly (BSF), has emerged as a strategy to enhance the circularity of the agri-food chain, but its microbiological safety remains a concern. The aim of the present study was to systematically review available data on the microbiological quality of BSF and to investigate the impact of using four different rearing substrates including classic options allowed by the EU regulation (cereals, fruits, vegetables) and options not allowed by EU regulations regarding vegetable agri-food (co-products, food at shelf life, and meat). A total of 13 studies were collected and synthesized, including 910 sample results, while 102 new sample results were collected from the present experiments in three farms. Both datasets combined revealed a high level of contamination of larvae, potentially transmitted through the substrate. The main pathogenic bacteria identified were Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Cronobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus coagulase-positive, while Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected. Any of these four substrates were excluded for their use in insect rearing; however, safety concerns were confirmed and must be managed by the operators of the sector using microbial inactivation treatment after the harvest of the larvae in order to propose safe products for the market. The results obtained will guide the definition of the control criteria and optimize the following manufacturing steps.

Among the tasks of EFSA, according to its founding regulation (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), there is the establishment of a system of Networks of organisations operating in the fields within EFSA's mission, the objective being to facilitate a scientific cooperation framework by the coordination of activities, the exchange of information, the development and implementation of joint projects, the exchange of expertise and best practices. The Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA Network) had its first meeting in 2007. Currently, 25 European Union Member States and two observer countries (Switzerland and Norway) are participating in the MRA Network. The 22nd meeting was held on 18‐19 October 2022 as a hybrid‐meeting in Parma and online. A wide range of activities related to microbial risk assessment were presented including impact of Vibrio infections, activities on Campylobacter in broilers, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, transfer of anisakid allergens to meat, risk assessment of monkey pox transmission through food and risk‐based classification of food establishments as well as an invited presentation on ionophor resistance in poultry. Activities of the EFSA BIOHAZ panel and the BIOHAW Unit were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the tasks of EFSA, according to its founding regulation (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), there is the establishment of a system of Networks of organisations operating in the fields within EFSA's mission, the objective being to facilitate a scientific cooperation framework by the coordination of activities, the exchange of information, the development and implementation of joint projects, the exchange of expertise and best practices. The Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA Network) had its first meeting in 2007. Currently, 25 European Union Member States and two observer countries (Switzerland and Norway) are participating in the MRA Network. The 21st meeting was held on 5‐6 October 2021 as a web‐meeting. A wide range of activities related to microbial risk assessment were presented including risk ranking of pathogens in different foods, Salmonella in wild boar meat, STEC in flour, bacterial pathogens on fresh fruit and vegetables, Campylobacter and E. coli in broiler meat and Anisakidae in fish, date marking as well as EFSA activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the late 1990s, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) has convened expert meetings and consultations to address the microbiological risk assessment (MRA). These meetings are held to provide scientific advice in response to requests for from Codex Alimentarius, the international food standard-setting body. Individuals participate in the FAO/WHO joint expert meetings on the microbiological risk assessment (JEMRA) in their personal capacity, as technical experts, yet bring diverse regional and national perspectives that contribute to practical applications, particularly for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Over 370 experts from around the globe have contributed to the meeting outcomes that have been published in nearly 40 monographs in the FAO/WHO microbial risk assessment (MRA) series, addressing particular food commodities with microbial hazard(s) combinations or a methodological aspect of microbial risk assessment. FAO/WHO MRA series inform Codex decision-making for the development of international standards for safe food and faire trade in food products; are consulted by risk managers such as food safety authorities and food business operators to make science-based decisions; and are used by academics to advance food safety research and educate the next generation of food safety professionals.

Among the tasks of EFSA, according to its founding regulation (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), there is the establishment of a system of Networks of organisations operating in the fields within EFSA's mission, the objective being to facilitate a scientific cooperation framework by the coordination of activities, the exchange of information, the development and implementation of joint projects, the exchange of expertise and best practices. The Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA Network) had its first meeting in 2007. Currently, 25 European Union Member States and two observer countries (Switzerland and Norway) are members of the MRA Network. The annual meeting was held on 21-22 May 2019 in Parma. A wide range of topics related to microbial risk assessment were discussed, including risk assessments on pathogens in raw milk, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, quantitative risk assessments, and antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To implement food-oriented theoretical knowledge and skills in practice, mutual knowledge exchanges, communications and cooperation among professionals are needed for the sake of final product quality and safety. Identical principles should be applied generally in university education regardless of the type of school. However, the specifics of food studies exist at technical universities, especially those with a chemical and technological background. These are achieved by controlling the chemical, physical, biochemical processes as well as the skills needed in the production as well as in the evaluation of food quality and safety. Therefore, their approaches have to be process-oriented, preventive and, in critical cases, they must provide solutions by applying reverse knowledge from scientific literature, past microbiological observations, trends of microbial loads and from actual situations in the food chain. Thus in food microbiology, a shift from descriptive qualitative toward quantitative approaches enables graduates to predict the behaviour of microorganisms and assess the potential risks resulting from growth, survival and contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 4 million patients in the EU acquire a healthcare associated infection each year. • Public spaces and other highly occupied spaces are implicated in infection outbreak. • Surfaces are one of the major factors contributing to these patterns of infection. • Guidelines for microbiological assessment in these scenarios are scarce. • Self-disinfecting surfaces are an emergent technology to control infection. According to World Health Organization, every year in the European Union, 4 million patients acquire a healthcare associated infection. Even though some microorganisms represent no threat to healthy people, hospitals harbor different levels of immunocompetent individuals, namely patients receiving immunosuppressors, with previous infections, or those with extremes of age (young children and elderly), requiring the implementation of effective control measures. Public spaces have also been found an important source of infectious disease outbreaks due to poor or none infection control measures applied. In both places, surfaces play a major role on microorganisms' propagation, yet they are very often neglected, with very few guidelines about efficient cleaning measures and microbiological assessment available. To overcome surface contamination problems, new strategies are being designed to limit the microorganisms' ability to survive over surfaces and materials. Surface modification and/or functionalization to prevent contamination is a hot-topic of research and several different approaches have been developed lately. Surfaces with anti-adhesive properties, with incorporated antimicrobial substances or modified with biological active metals are some of the strategies recently proposed. This review intends to summarize the problems associated with contaminated surfaces and their importance on infection spreading, and to present some of the strategies developed to prevent this public health problem, namely some already being commercialized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential utilization of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as food or feed is interesting due to the nutritive value and the sustainability of the rearing process. In the present study, larvae and prepupae of H. illucens were reared at 20, 27, and 33 °C, to determine whether temperature affects the whole insect microbiota, described using microbiological risk assessment techniques and 16S rRNA gene survey. The larvae efficiently grew across the tested temperatures. Higher temperatures promoted faster larval development and greater final biomass but also higher mortality. Viable Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Listeriaceae, and Salmonella were detected in prepupae. Campylobacter and Listeriaceae counts got higher with the increasing temperature. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, the microbiota of larvae was dominated by Providencia (>60%) and other Proteobateria (mainly Klebsiella) and evolved to a more complex composition in prepupae, with a bloom of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Bacilli, while Providencia was still present as the main component. Prepupae largely shared the microbiota with the frass where it was reared, except for few lowly represented taxa. The rearing temperature was negatively associated with the amount of Providencia, and positively associated with a variety of other genera, such as Alcaligenes, Pseudogracilibacillus, Bacillus, Proteus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, Bordetella, Pseudomonas, and Kerstersia. With respect to the microbiological risk assessment, attention should be paid to abundant genera, such as Bacillus, Myroides, Proteus, Providencia, and Morganella, which encompass species described as opportunistic pathogens, bearing drug resistances or causing severe morbidity.

Abstract: Human exposure to bacteria resistant to antimicrobials and transfer of related genes is a complex issue and occurs, among other pathways, via meat consumption. In a context of limited resources, the prioritization of risk management activities is essential. Since the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation differs substantially between countries, prioritization should be country specific. The objective of this study was to develop a systematic and transparent framework to rank combinations of bacteria species resistant to selected antimicrobial classes found in meat, based on the risk they represent for public health in Switzerland. A risk assessment model from slaughter to consumption was developed following the Codex Alimentarius guidelines for risk analysis of foodborne AMR. Using data from the Swiss AMR monitoring program, 208 combinations of animal species/bacteria/antimicrobial classes were identified as relevant hazards. Exposure assessment and hazard characterization scores were developed and combined using multicriteria decision analysis. The effect of changing weights of scores was explored with sensitivity analysis. Attributing equal weights to each score, poultry‐associated combinations represented the highest risk. In particular, contamination with extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase/plasmidic AmpC‐producing Escherichia coli in poultry meat ranked high for both exposure and hazard characterization. Tetracycline‐ or macrolide‐resistant Enterococcus spp., as well as fluoroquinolone‐ or macrolide‐resistant Campylobacter jejuni, ranked among combinations with the highest risk. This study provides a basis for prioritizing future activities to mitigate the risk associated with foodborne AMR in Switzerland. A user‐friendly version of the model was provided to risk managers; it can easily be adjusted to the constantly evolving knowledge on AMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbiological risk assessment with the method for limitation of risks, the LR-Method, is described in this paper. Results from excerpts of case studies in safety cabinets/Class II benches are discussed. The LR-Method, which relies upon visualisation of air movements, particle challenge testing, and calculation of a risk factor, presents an effective way for limitation of potential microbial risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety measures in food chain operations involving poultry meat are increasingly reliant on the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system as well as the effectiveness of its adoption in mitigating foodborne diseases. In this study, we evaluated the risk of microbiological contamination of poultry-based ready-to-eat (RTE) food through its preparation and subsequent handling at selected HACCP-certified dine-in food establishments and hospital catering facilities in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Samples obtained from 138 poultry-based RTE cook-served meals, 239 ready meals, 299 hand swabs, 510 food contacts, and 118 non-food contact surfaces were examined. The absence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in the RTE food samples showed a favorable trend in compliance with the Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Malaysian Veterinary Document Register Standard Operating Procedure (APTVM 16 (c):1/2011, Appendix 7) reference standards. The findings yielded by the microbiological assessments further revealed the non-conformance of coliforms in only 0.7% of the cook-served samples from the dine-in establishments. However, these percentages increased to 16.4% and 9.5% for coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus , respectively, in ready-food samples, whereas 6.5% and 5.7% were recorded in hospital facilities. In contrast, significant non-conformance with guidelines pertaining to food and non-food contact surfaces was noted for both dine-in establishments and hospital facilities. These results highlight the need for more stringent oversight of hygiene practices and process controls in all HACCP-certified facilities that prepare and serve food. • Microbiology quality and safety in HACCP-certified facilities highlight the need for stringent hygiene practices. • Coliform and S. aureus in ready foods highlights the need for enhanced food poisoning prevention and control in hospital setting. • The high contamination rate of contact surfaces and food handlers' hands suggest better HACCP implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Methodologies for integrating (weighing) evidence and assessing uncertainties are of utmost importance to ensure that scientific assessments are transparent, robust and fit for purpose to support decision‐makers. One of the key challenges remains the development of harmonised methodologies for both weighing scientific evidence and assessing uncertainties in the food safety area mainly because of the multidisciplinary and complex nature of the topics involved. The breakout session ‘Weighing evidence and assessing uncertainties’ was held at the EFSA 2nd Scientific Conference ‘Shaping the Future of Food Safety, Together’. This paper aims at summarising the contributions of this breakout session and formulates recommendations to further support the development of harmonised methodologies and practical applications for weighing evidence and analysing uncertainty in key areas of food safety, including chemical risk assessment, microbiological risk assessment and environmental risk assessment.

Foodborne disease caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is one of the most important food safety issues worldwide. The objectives of this study were to carry out microbial monitoring on the prevalence of NTS in commercial ground pork, investigate consumption patterns, and conduct a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) that considers cross-contamination to determine the risk caused by consuming ground pork and ready-to-eat food contaminated during food handling in the kitchen in Chengdu, China. The food pathway of ground pork was simplified and assumed to be several units according to the actual situation and our survey data, which were collected from our research or references and substituted into the QMRA model for simulation. The results showed that the prevalence of NTS in ground pork purchased in Chengdu was 69.64% (95% confidence interval [CI], 60.2-78.0), with a mean contamination level of -0.164 log CFU/g. After general cooking, NTS in ground pork could be eliminated (contamination level of zero). The estimated probability of causing salmonellosis per day was 9.43E-06 (95% CI: 8.82E-06-1.00E-05), while the estimated salmonellosis cases per million people per year were 3442 (95% CI: 3218-3666). According to the sensitivity analysis, the occurrence of cross-contamination was the most important factor affecting the probability of salmonellosis. To reduce the risk of salmonellosis caused by NTS through ground pork consumption, reasonable hygiene prevention and control measures should be adopted during food preparation to reduce cross-contamination. This study provides valuable information for household cooking and food safety management in China., (© 2022 Society for Risk Analysis.)

The objective of this study was i) to quantify the risk of hepatitis E for Swiss consumers by specified pork products and ii) to estimate the total burden of human food-borne hepatitis E in Switzerland. A quantitative risk assessment from slaughter to consumption was carried out according to the Codex Alimentarius framework. In the hazard characterization, assumptions were made due to the lack of a dose-response relationship for oral exposure to hepatitis E virus (HEV). The prevalence of HEV in 160 pig livers of 40 different Swiss fattening farms was examined and determined to be 1.3% (CI 0.3%; 4.4%). This result was used as input in the risk assessment model, together with data from other published studies. The annual burden of hepatitis E was estimated in terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY), using data about hepatitis E cases diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 at two major hospitals located in the canton Ticino . Only the risk of foodborne hepatitis E from products containing pork liver was evaluated, as those containing only pork meat could not be evaluated because of lack of data on HEV load in pork. Assuming that successful oral infection occurs in 1% of servings contaminated with high HEV loads (> 10 5 genome copies), and that acute illness develops in 5% of susceptible consumers, the most likely annual number of foodborne hepatitis E cases in Switzerland was estimated to be 1481 (95% CI 552; 4488) if all products containing pork liver were considered. If only high-risk products, such as plain pork liver and liver sausages (e.g. Saucisse au Foie ), were considered, the annual number of cases was estimated to be 176 (95% CI 64; 498). We were unable to calculate the total burden of hepatitis E in Switzerland due to lack of data. Yet, for the canton Ticino , it was shown that a significant increase had occurred from < 5 DALY per 100,000 inhabitants before 2012 to > 50 DALY per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015. This change could partly be due to an increased reporting and higher awareness among medical practitioners. Extrapolation to other regions could be accomplished if detailed information on food consumption patterns were available. Notification of HEV cases and attempts of cases source attribution would improve the basis for risk assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methodologies for integrating (weighing) evidence and assessing uncertainties are of utmost importance to ensure that scientific assessments are transparent, robust and fit for purpose to support decision-makers. One of the key challenges remains the development of harmonised methodologies for both weighing scientific evidence and assessing uncertainties in the food safety area mainly because of the multidisciplinary and complex nature of the topics involved. The breakout session 'Weighing evidence and assessing uncertainties' was held at the EFSA 2nd Scientific Conference 'Shaping the Future of Food Safety, Together'. This paper aims at summarising the contributions of this breakout session and formulates recommendations to further support the development of harmonised methodologies and practical applications for weighing evidence and analysing uncertainty in key areas of food safety, including chemical risk assessment, microbiological risk assessment and environmental risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Since the beginning of the 21st century, consumption of wild game birds has been increasing, concurrent with a rise in consumer interest in free-range and ‘healthy-eating’ foodstuffs. Game birds can carry zoonotic pathogens, predominantly within the viscera. Whilst removal of the viscera is normal practice during the dressing of game birds, there is a specialised market in the UK for certain small game birds that are consumed uneviscerated. This qualitative risk assessment evaluates the risks to the consumer from the production and consumption of both uneviscerated and eviscerated small game birds for Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli (verotoxigenic), E. coli (antimicrobial resistant), Campylobacter spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Chlamydophila psittaci and Listeria monocytogenes. Whilst most pathogen/bird combinations were considered to have a very low risk, results suggest that Campylobacter spp. and T. gondii can pose an increased risk to consumers for some species of wild game birds. There was no greater risk associated with the consumption of uneviscerated game birds than for eviscerated birds. In some cases, the risk from eviscerated birds may even be slightly higher, as the risk of cross-contamination during evisceration can outweigh the reduction in pathogenic organisms due to removal of the viscera. Additionally, the current low frequency of consumption of uneviscerated game birds of most species reduced the overall risk estimate for these birds. If there is an increased frequency of consumption in the future, then this risk should be re-examined. Assuming a general level of compliance with regulations and basic hygiene practices, the results suggested that large outbreaks of infection among UK consumers are unlikely, but sporadic, infectious events could occur due to combinations of ‘rare-event, hygiene-related issues’ in the ‘field-to-fork’ chain and/or inadequate cooking of the bird. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The epidemiological data suggest that the food preparation process in public catering establishments involves the risk of food microbiological contamination. To develop a preventive food safety assurance system based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles, adequate identification, monitoring and communication of food safety hazards are important considerations. The aim of the research was microbiological risk analysis of catering establishments. Statistical analysis was used in microbiological risk assessment and to ensure science-based proposals for control of microbiological contamination and prevention of outbreaks of food-borne infections. The results on microbiological testing of 17 192 food samples and 17 604 surface swab samples were analysed using the SPSS 13.0 and MS EXCEL software packages. Statistically significant differences in microbiological contamination of food and environmental surfaces with regard to Aerobic Plate Count, coliforms and S. aureus were found. Impact of technological processing on safety of ready-to-eat foods was demonstrated. Petrifilm rapid test methods were tested for use as self-control purposes. The results of the research demonstrate characteristic trends in contamination of foods and environmental objects in catering establishments and ensure scientific justification for setting priorities with regard to relevant control measures during technological processing and serving of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A microbiological risk assessment was conducted on Vibrio parahaemolyticus in order to estimate the risk of getting infected by consuming cooked shrimps (Penaeus monodon) for Malaysians. This study was based on the risk assessment framework developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The risk estimate was calculated by using the data generated from this study and assumptions based on data taken from reports produced by the Ministry of Health Malaysia and from other studies. The @RISK software package, version 4.5 (2005 Palisade USA) in combination with Microsoft® Excel were used to run the simulations. All of the calculations were performed by the Monte Carlo method of simulations from specified input distributions and appropriately combining the sampled values to generate the corresponding output distributions. All simulations, consisting of 10,000 iterations were undertaken. The estimated illness per year was 123 people (aged from 18 to 59 years) for Malaysians. The 90% of distribution of illness due to the consumption of cooked shrimps lies between 49 and 197 cases per year. The incidence rate of illness/100,000 population/year (aged between 18 and 59 years) is 1.3 while 90% distribution lies between 0.5 and 2. In the case of shrimp that were cooked during meal preparation, the hazard has been significantly reduced. It is important to pay attention to temperature control during harvesting and post-harvest handling. It is also required to prevent cross-contamination during handling and preparation of shrimps and adequate cooking before consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Over the past years benefit–risk analysis (BRA) in relation to foods and food ingredients has gained much attention; in Europe and worldwide. BRA relating to food microbiology is however a relatively new field of research. Microbiological risk assessment is well defined but assessment of microbial benefits and the weighing of benefits and risk has not been systematically addressed. In this paper the state of the art in benefit–risk analysis in food microbiology is presented, with a brief overview of microbiological food safety practices. The quality and safety of foods is commonly best preserved by delaying the growth of spoilage bacteria and contamination by bacterial pathogens. However, microorganisms in food can be both harmful and beneficial. Many microorganisms are integral to various food production processes e.g. the production of beer, wine and various dairy products. Moreover, the use of some microorganisms in the production of fermented foods are often claimed to have beneficial effects on food nutrition and consumer health. Furthermore, food safety interventions leading to reduced public exposure to foodborne pathogens can be regarded as benefits. The BRA approach integrates an independent assessment of both risks and benefits and weighs the two using a common currency. Recently, a number of initiatives have been launched in the field of food and nutrition to address the formulation of the benefit–risk assessment approach. BRA has recently been advocated by EFSA for the public health management of food and food ingredients; as beneficial and adverse chemicals can often be found within the same foods and even the same ingredients. These recent developments in the scoping of BRA could be very relevant for food microbiological issues. BRA could become a valuable methodology to support evaluations and decision making regarding microbiological food safety and public health, supplementing other presently available policy making and administrative tools for microbiological food safety management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of important foodborne pathogens in shellstock Pacific oysters in the food markets in South China. Methods: From July 2007 to June 2008, retail oysters were collected in different seasons from South China and analyzed for the prevalence and levels of Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Results: None of L. monocytogenes could be detected in any of the 202 oyster samples tested, while V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus could be detected in 67 (54.9%) and 109 (89.3%) of the 122 oyster samples analyzed, respectively, with an MPN (most probable number) value greater than or equal to 3. V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus with a more than 102 MPN/g were found in 36 (29.5%) and 59 (48.4%) of the 122 oyster samples, respectively. The tdh and trh genes were detected in 4 (0.3%) and 8 (0.6%) of the 1 349 V. parahaemolyticus isolates, respectively. Of the 122 samples, 4 (3.3%) was positive for either tdh or trh. The levels of V. vulnificus and total V. parahaemolyticus in oysters in South China varied in different seasons. Conclusion: V. vulnificus and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus are frequently found in oysters in south China, which may pose a potential threat to public health. Data presented here will be useful for the microbiological risk assessment in oysters in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Various intervention strategies to control foodborne pathogens have been identified and applied through the whole food chain. Physical, chemical, biological treatments applied alone or in combination have been studied and proved to reduce the number and the prevalence of bacterial contamination of meat surfaces such as carcasses. The various treatments have their own advantages and disadvantages. In EU, chemical decontamination was not permitted until the recent revision of European food hygiene legislation which allows the use of substances other than water for the removal of meat surface bacterial contamination. The European Commission will authorise the use of such substances after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has provided a chemical and a microbiological risk assessment. For this purpose, EFSA issued a guidance document which points out the major components and prerequisites that a study/dossier should contain in order to prove that the substance intended to be used for the removal of microbial surface contamination of foods of animal origin (i) would not pose any appreciable risk to the public health (safety or chemical assessment) and (ii) would result in a significant reduction of the prevalence and the numbers of pathogenic target bacteria when compared to the control and when this reduction is at the same time of relevance to human health (efficacy or microbiological risk assessment). The current paper deals only with microbiological safety issues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: International, community and national food safety law and any subsequent decision-making practices aim to be based on risk analysis—a process consisting of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication. With the appointment of the European Food Safety Authority as an independent scientific point of reference in risk assessment, there is a clear functional separation between risk assessment and risk management in the European Union food safety context. When a food safety question on microbiological hazards is to be answered – which is under the remit of the EFSA''s Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) – extensive dialogue and interactions covering the clarity of the question, the acceptability of the deadline and the availability of all necessary information take place with both the risk managers who ask the question and the stakeholders. During the first mandate of the BIOHAZ Panel (2003–2006), the scientific opinions were mainly based on qualitative and in some cases semi-quantitative microbiological risk assessment. In the second mandate of the BIOHAZ Panel, and as a first step towards developing a European approach on Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA), EFSA is preparing to carry out a QMRA on Salmonella in pigs, at European level through a consortium of European institutes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Seine estuary, one of the largest estuaries of the European northwest continental shelf, is subjected to numerous anthropogenic influences. Here we present an assessment of the microbial faecal contamination of the estuary water. The most vulnerable areas were defined on the basis of the fluxes of indicator organisms and the occurrence of Salmonella and Cryptosporidium sp. and Giardia sp. (oo)cysts. The microbial quality of the water changes from upstream to downstream: in the upstream area, contamination by faecal-indicator bacteria and Salmonella occurs during periods of high flow; in the urbanized area, mid-way between the uppermost areas of the estuary and its mouth, discharge from a wastewater treatment plant and a tributary degrade water quality; at the estuary mouth, the accumulation of microorganisms attached to particles in the maximum turbidity zone, particularly Clostridium perfringens spores and oocysts of Cryptosporidium, is accompanied by inputs of ThC and Escherichia coli from tributaries. In some areas, significant strong relations are observed between Salmonella, (oo)cysts of protozoan, and levels of faecal indicators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The volume of cold tap water consumed is an essential element in quantitative microbial risk assessment. This paper presents a review of tap water consumption studies. Study designs were evaluated and statistical distributions were fitted to water consumption data from The Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany and Australia. we conclude that the diary is to be preferred for collecting water consumption data. If a diary is not feasible, a 24 h recall would be the best alternative, preferably repeated at least once. From the studies evaluated, the mean daily consumption varies from 0.10L to 1.55L. No conclusions could be drawn regarding the effects of season, age and gender on tap water consumption. Physical activity, yearly income and perceived health status were reported to influence water consumption. Comparison of the different statistical probability distribution functions of the datasets demonstrated that the Poisson distribution performed better than the lognormal distribution as suggested by Roseberry and Burmaster. For quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) it is recommended to use country-specific consumption data and statistical distributions, if available. If no country specific data are available we recommend to use the Australian distribution data from the Melbourne diary study (Poisson, λ = 3.49 glasses/d) as a conservative estimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For over centuries developments in food production and new food safety management systems in most developed countries have been perceived by many to be efficient in the prevention of food-borne disease. Nevertheless a number of problems remain dominant, one of these being the high level of food-borne microbiological disease which seems, for some pathogens, to have increased over the last decades. The development of an interdisciplinary approach with direct interaction between surveillance and risk analysis systems is described as a potential basis for improved prevention of food-borne disease. Quantitative microbiological risk assessment is a relatively new scientific approach, able to link data from food within the entire food chain and the various data on human disease to provide a clear estimation of risk. Today food safety is one of the WHOs top eleven priorities; the Organization calls for more systematic and aggressive steps to be taken to reduce significantly the risk of microbiological food-borne diseases. Dealing with this challenge is one of the major challenges for the 21st century in regard to food safety, implying a significant re-direction of food microbiology efforts in many parts of the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Workshop, organised by ILSI-Europe, provided for the first time an opportunity for government, industry and academia to consider the implications of the evolving concept of the Food Safety Objective (FSO) in microbiological food safety management. The historic development of the concept and its relationship to other established food safety tools was discussed at length. An example application of an FSO was described for Listeria monocytogenes in cold-smoked salmon. The Workshop identified a number of conclusions and requirements for future consideration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Considerable effort has been put into the application of quantitative microbiological risk assessment for Listeria monocytogenes, and data are available for England and Wales (probably more so than most other countries) on the adverse health effects, together with incidence data on different age and risk groups for human L. monocytogenes infections. This paper reviews aspects of Listeria and human listeriosis, especially from a public health perspective and provide hazard characterisation data, i.e. the qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of the adverse health effect associated with the hazard, which is the relationship between exposure levels (dose) and frequency of illness.The majority of cases of human listeriosis are food-borne; however, the disease process is complex with multiple routes of infection. The dose–response relationship is poorly understood, and data from human volunteer studies are not available and would be unethical to produce. Data are available from a range of different animal and in vitro models, although these poorly mimic the natural disease process in route of infection, end point, host and history of prior exposure to the bacterium. Epidemiological data provide some information on infective doses and dose responses, but because of the characteristics of the disease (the hugely variable and potentially very long incubation periods, the low attack rates and the rarity of identification of specific food vehicles), this also provides limited data for calculation of dose responses. There is some, albeit limited, evidence for strain variation, but this is an area of considerable uncertainty despite great advances in the genetic basis of the virulence of this bacterium, and almost all strains seem capable of causing serious disease. A variety of mathematical approaches have been used to model dose responses. The review is written to provide a clinical and epidemiological background to the mathematically oriented, as well as to outline the mathematical approaches to those interested in food-borne infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recontamination of food products can cause foodborne illnesses or spoilage of foods. It is therefore useful to quantify this recontamination so that it can be incorporated in microbiological risk assessments (MRA). This paper describes a first attempt to quantify one of the recontamination routes: via the air. Data on the number of airborne microorganisms were collected from literature and industries. The settling velocities of different microorganisms were calculated for different products by combining the data on aerial concentrations with sedimentation counts assuming that settling is under the influence of gravity only. Air movement is not explicitly considered in this study.Statistical analyses were performed to clarify the effect of different products and seasons on the number of airborne microorganisms and the settling velocity. For both bacteria and moulds, three significantly different product categories with regard to the level of airborne organisms were identified. The statistical distribution in these categories was described by a lognormal distribution. The settling velocity did not depend on the product, the season of sampling or the type of microorganism, and had a geometrical mean value of 2.7 mm/s. The statistical distribution of the settling velocity was described by a lognormal distribution as well. The probability of recontamination via the air was estimated by the product of the number of bacteria in the air, the settling velocity, and the exposed area and time of the product. For three example products, the contamination level as a result of airborne recontamination was estimated using Monte Carlo simulations. What-if scenarios were used to exemplify determination of design criteria to control a specified contamination level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: There is growing interest in the public health and transport sectors in research into exposure to biological hazards, considering not only the risks arising from inter-human contagion, but also those related to exposure to the flight environment itself. The aim of this paper is to report data from an investigation into the water and air-conditioning systems of commercial aircraft for the presence of Legionella contamination, with a total of 645 water samples taken during the period 2007−2021. Methods: The investigation involved 126 aircraft of six different commercial aircraft types: MD80, Airbus A320 F, Embraer 175/190, AIRBUS A330, Boeing 767 and Boeing 777. Water samples were taken from the water systems (toilet taps, galley and boilers). Each sample was preliminarily subjected to an evaluation of the following parameters: temperature, pH and residual chlorine. The ScanVit® Legionella kit was used for bacteria detection and enumeration. Results: Samples were considered positive if the number of colony-forming units/liter (CFU/L) was >100. For the entire observation period, 45% of the investigated aircraft tested positive. Regarding the overall number of samples analyzed, 68.4% (441/645) were below 100 CFU/L, and thus within the limits allowed by the Italian Guidelines. Conclusions: Water system contamination with Legionella in the air transport field is a real public health issue that should not be underestimated given the heavy passenger traffic. Infection should be considered an occupational risk to which crew members are exposed.

Since the late 1990s, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) has convened expert meetings and consultations to address the microbiological risk assessment (MRA). These meetings are held to provide scientific advice in response to requests for from Codex Alimentarius, the international food standard-setting body. Individuals participate in the FAO/WHO joint expert meetings on the microbiological risk assessment (JEMRA) in their personal capacity, as technical experts, yet bring diverse regional and national perspectives that contribute to practical applications, particularly for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Over 370 experts from around the globe have contributed to the meeting outcomes that have been published in nearly 40 monographs in the FAO/WHO microbial risk assessment (MRA) series, addressing particular food commodities with microbial hazard(s) combinations or a methodological aspect of microbial risk assessment. FAO/WHO MRA series inform Codex decision-making for the development of international standards for safe food and faire trade in food products; are consulted by risk managers such as food safety authorities and food business operators to make science-based decisions; and are used by academics to advance food safety research and educate the next generation of food safety professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research data on strain variability in biofilm formation are compiled. • More data are available for foodborne pathogens than for spoilage microorganisms. • Molecular/physiological aspects likely linked to strain differences are suggested. • Means of quantitative description of biofilm strain variability are presented. • Data gaps and future research objectives are described and discussed. The inherent differences in microbial behavior among identically treated strains of the same microbial species, referred to as "strain variability", are regarded as an important source of variability in microbiological studies. Biofilms are defined as the structured multicellular communities with complex architecture that enable microorganisms to grow adhered to abiotic or living surfaces and constitute a fundamental aspect of microbial ecology. The research studies assessing the strain variability in biofilm formation are relatively few compared to the ones evaluating other aspects of microbial behavior such as virulence, growth and stress resistance. Among the available research data on intra-species variability in biofilm formation, compiled and discussed in the present review, most of them refer to foodborne pathogens as compared to spoilage microorganisms. Molecular and physiological aspects of biofilm formation potentially related to strain-specific responses, as well as information on the characterization and quantitative description of this type of biological variability are presented and discussed. Despite the considerable amount of available information on the strain variability in biofilm formation, there are certain data gaps and still-existing challenges that future research should cover and address. Current and future advances in systems biology and omics technologies are expected to aid significantly in the explanation of phenotypic strain variability, including biofilm formation variability, allowing for its integration in microbiological risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to develop a structured and transparent framework to rank emerging dietary practices. The first challenge was to rank simultaneously biological and chemical hazards using the same criteria whatever the nature of the hazard. For a list of dietary practices selected based on the results of a survey, hazard identification and health effect characterization was carried out. Taking only the top five practices led to the identification of 41 triplets "emerging dietary practice – hazard – health effect", which highlights the complexity of scoring risk in food safety. A wide variety of hazards, including microbes, parasites, mycotoxins, allergens and other chemical compounds were considered together with a range of health effects such as foodborne pathogen disease, anaphylaxis, cancer, immunosuppression, endocrine disturbance, etc. The second challenge was to develop a framework easy to populate and run. The risk-ranking framework included eight criteria: five to describe the severity, three to describe the likelihood. All of them were informed by literature data and food safety agencies' reports, plus experts' opinion. The PROMETHEE outranking MCDA technique, available in a R package, was implemented. This risk-ranking framework applied to the results of our small-scale survey revealed that consuming nuts on a regular basis could be the emerging dietary habit presenting the highest-risk score, due to the aflatoxin B1 hazard and its associated health effect (liver cancer). This risk-ranking framework requires however to be applied furthermore in other contexts to evaluate its robustness and identify opportunities for improvement. Once consolidated, this framework will be highly relevant for food safety authorities and policy makers to move forward transparent and evidence-informed decisions. • A structured and transparent framework to rank food safety risks was developed. • The framework was run using the MCDA outranking PROMETHEE method. • Biological and chemical riks were assessed using the same set of criteria. • The risk-ranking framework was tested on emerging dietary practices in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential utilization of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as food or feed is interesting due to the nutritive value and the sustainability of the rearing process. In the present study, larvae and prepupae of H. illucens were reared at 20, 27, and 33 °C, to determine whether temperature affects the whole insect microbiota, described using microbiological risk assessment techniques and 16S rRNA gene survey. The larvae efficiently grew across the tested temperatures. Higher temperatures promoted faster larval development and greater final biomass but also higher mortality. Viable Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Listeriaceae, and Salmonella were detected in prepupae. Campylobacter and Listeriaceae counts got higher with the increasing temperature. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, the microbiota of larvae was dominated by Providencia (>60%) and other Proteobateria (mainly Klebsiella) and evolved to a more complex composition in prepupae, with a bloom of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Bacilli, while Providencia was still present as the main component. Prepupae largely shared the microbiota with the frass where it was reared, except for few lowly represented taxa. The rearing temperature was negatively associated with the amount of Providencia, and positively associated with a variety of other genera, such as Alcaligenes, Pseudogracilibacillus, Bacillus, Proteus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, Bordetella, Pseudomonas, and Kerstersia. With respect to the microbiological risk assessment, attention should be paid to abundant genera, such as Bacillus, Myroides, Proteus, Providencia, and Morganella, which encompass species described as opportunistic pathogens, bearing drug resistances or causing severe morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main results and prospects of fundamental and applied hygienic research of the laboratory of biosafety and nutrimicrobiome analysis of the Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety (hereinafter - the Institute of Nutrition) in the direction of developing a regulatory and methodological framework for assessing the microbiological safety of food are reviewed. The formation of microbiological regulation as a scientific analytical and administrative managerial process in the former USSR and the Russian Federation is considered in the context of historical data, including personal contribution of the scientists of the Institute of Nutrition and other specialists. The basic principles of regulation are emphasized: the scientific validity of the established criteria and requirements, the feasibility, technological attainability, differentiation according to the degree of danger to the health of consumers, preventive nature. The resource of the national normative and methodological base in the field of microbiological food safety at the turn of the century is characterized, the features of the introduction of the microbiological risk assessment (MRA) methodology in the substantiation of Russian norms and measures for the prevention of food infections are described. The information is given on the developed guidance documents on MRA and on the examples of norms adopted on its basis. The article covers the issues of reglamentation the requirements for food safety and reducing the spread of new pathogens Stx-Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterobacter sakazakii, Campylobacter spp. in the food chain based on risk-oriented approaches. The necessity of taking specific measures for the prevention of cross-contamination in the poultry processing industry is substantiated, taking into account the evidence of the high adaptability of C. jejuni isolated from domestic raw poultry. In the sanitarian-mycological aspect, the monitoring perspective of mould fungi, taking into account their chemotypes, in cereals and non-grain plant products is shown to predict the risk of mycotoxin accumulation and take timely measures. The need to assess the impact on the population, taking into account the characteristics of consumption in the country, as well as the development of criteria for indirect risk of residues are argued for regulation of the antibiotics in food. In light of the challenges in the field of agro- and food technologies to public health at the present stage, contributing to the acceleration of microbial evolution and the emergence of new risks in food, the priority tasks of improving the regulatory and methodological base for assessing microbiological safety have been identified, with an emphasis on the introduction into the process of substantiating the norms of innovative OMICs-technologies based on the achievements of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics., Competing Interests: The authors declare no overt and potential conflict of interest related to the publication of this article., (Copyright© GEOTAR-Media Publishing Group.)