The microbiological safety of ready-to-eat specialty meats from markets and specialty food shops: A UK wide study with a focus on Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes

• Published in: Food microbiology Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 243 - 249
• Main Authors: Gormley, F.J., Little, C.L., Grant, K.A., de Pinna, E., McLauchlin, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: bacterial contamination; Biological and medical sciences; Continental sausage; cross contamination; cured meats; dried meat; Dried meats; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - isolation & purification; fermented foods; Fermented meats; Food Contamination - prevention & control; Food Handling - methods; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Food Packaging; food pathogens; food storage; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hygiene and safety; isolation; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeria monocytogenes - classification; Listeria monocytogenes - isolation & purification; meat products; Meat Products - classification; Meat Products - microbiology; microbial detection; ready-to-eat foods; retail marketing; Salmonella; Salmonella - classification; Salmonella - isolation & purification; sausages; shelf life; Staphylococcus aureus; storage conditions; United Kingdom; United Kingdom; Continental sausage; Listeria monocytogenes; Salmonella; Dried meats; Fermented meats; Sausage; Meat product; Pork product; Markets; Fermented product; Dried meat; Bacteria; Safety; Enterobacteriaceae; Food
• ISSN: 0740-0020; 1095-9998
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2009.10.009

From 2359 specialty meats (continental sausages, cured/fermented, dried meats) sampled from markets and specialty food shops, 98.9% of samples were of satisfactory or acceptable microbiological quality. However, 16 (0.7%) were unsatisfactory as a result of
Escherichia coli,
Staphylococcus aureus or
Listeria spp. contamination (≥10
2 CFU/g), and nine (0.4%) were unacceptable due to presence of
Salmonella spp. or
Listeria monocytogenes (>10
2 CFU/g). Meats with unacceptable levels of
L. monocytogenes were within shelf life (range: 8–143 days remaining). Nine different subtypes of
L. monocytogenes were detected with sero/AFLP type 1/2c VII predominating (37%), although this subtype was not overrepresented in any particular meat type (
P > 0.05). Ninety-six percent of continental sausages and cured/fermented products were stored at <8 °C at premises, including seven of the nine unacceptable samples. These nine meats were all pre-packed prior to supply to retail premises (OR = 0.1
P = 0.003) indicating that contamination with bacterial pathogens occurred earlier in the production chain. Most samples (72.7%, 8/11) with unsatisfactory levels of
E. coli were sliced on request, suggesting cross-contamination at point of sale. This study highlights the importance of ensuring that products do not become contaminated before final packaging, that storage conditions are controlled, and that durability dates are an accurate indication of the shelf life of the product so as to minimise the potential for
L. monocytogenes to be present at levels hazardous to health at the point of sale.