An outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium DT170 associated with kebab meat and yoghurt relish

Abstract

During July 1995, an outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium definitive type (DT) 170, an unusual strain, occurred in South Wales. A case-control study found that illness was associated with eating kebabs (odds ratio undefined, P = 0.002), doner kebabs (odds ratio 7.9, 95 % confidence interval 1.5-20.5, P = 0.02) and kebabs with yoghurt based relish (odds ratio undefined, P = 0.009) but not with eating kebabs with mayonnaise-based relish (odds ratio 2.4, 95 % confidence interval 0.4-13.9, P = 0.53). Environmental investigations discovered a complex web of producers and wholesale suppliers. Kebab meat and yoghurt had been supplied to the two main implicated outlets by a single wholesaler. Samples of raw minced lamb and several environmental swabs taken at the wholesaler were positive for S. typhimurium DT170. Blood-stained, unsealed yoghurt pots were observed to be stored under a rack of raw lamb. Investigators of food poisoning outbreaks linked to takeaway food should consider cross-contaminated relishes and dressings as well as undercooked meat as potential vehicles of infection.

Salmonella Thompson outbreak associated with consumption of chicken shawarma and the usefulness of genome sequencing in the investigation

“…This investigation suggests that the cooking method for making shawarma may represent a risk. Several outbreaks have been associated with this method of preparation (15)(16)(17)(18). With this method of cooking, the raw meat may be in contact with the cooked meat.…”

Current trends in traditional Turkish meat products and cuisine

“…Stolle, Eisgruber, Kerschhofer, and Krausse (1993) indicated that the addition of spices and raw vegetables which generally show a high microbiological residue causes an increase in dö ner kebab microbial load. A casecontrol study found that illness caused by S. typhimurium DT170 was associated with eating kebabs, dö ner kebabs and kebabs with yoghurt based relish but not with eating kebabs with mayonnaisebased relish (Evans et al, 1999).…”

Microbiological quality of kebabs sold in Palermo and Messina

“…+) nel 42% dei casi con cariche di 5,3-6,2 log ufc/g. Che il kebab possa essere un alimento potenzialmente pericoloso per il consumatore è anche testimoniato dal fatto che sempre più frequentemente risulta essere l'alimento incriminato in episodi di malattia alimentare (Synnott et al, 1993;Evans et al, 1999).…”

“…+) nel 42% dei casi con cariche di 5,3-6,2 log ufc/g. Che il kebab possa essere un alimento potenzialmente pericoloso per il consumatore è anche testimoniato dal fatto che sempre più frequentemente risulta essere l'alimento incriminato in episodi di malattia alimentare (Synnott et al, 1993;Evans et al, 1999).Considerato che gli esercizi di somministrazione di döner kebab rappresentano una realtà sempre più diffusa nelle nostre città e che, sulla base di quanto ricordato in premessa, si tratta di un prodotto che ben si presta a potenziali problematiche d'ordine igienico-sanitario, abbiamo ritenuto interessante effettuare alcune valutazioni su questo alimento commercializzato nelle città di Palermo e Messina. …”