Environmental sampling for Listeria monocytogenes control in food processing facilities reveals three contamination scenarios

Muhterem-Uyar, Meryem; Dalmasso, Marion; Bolocan, Andrei Sorin; Hernández, Marta; Καπετανάκου, Αναστασία Ε.; Kuchta, T.; Manios, Stavros G.; Melero, Beatriz; Minarovičová, Jana; Nicolau, Anca Ioana; Rovira, Jordi; Skandamis, Panagiotis; Jordan, Kieran; Rodrı́guez-Lázaro, David; Stessl, Beatrix; Wagner, Martin

doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.10.042

Cited by 130 publications

(83 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…In these high-risk areas, the expected result of environmental monitoring before production is a complete absence of L. monocytogenes. An effective sampling program, however, can occasionally yield positive results, which help to identify where corrections should be made (50,51). The strains of L. monocytogenes that remained viable in this environment, despite cleaning and disinfection, could be disinfectant-resistant strains.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Connection between Persistent, Disinfectant-Resistant Listeria monocytogenes Strains from Two Geographically Separate Iberian Pork Processing Plants: Evidence from Comparative Genome Analysis

Ortiz

López-Alonso

Rodríguez³

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

101

100

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The aim of this study was to investigate the basis of the putative persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in a new industrial facility dedicated to the processing of ready-to-eat (RTE) Iberian pork products. Quaternary ammonium compounds, which included benzalkonium chloride (BAC), were repeatedly used as surface disinfectants in the processing plant. Clean and disinfected surfaces were sampled to evaluate if resistance to disinfectants was associated with persistence. Of the 14 isolates obtained from product contact and non-product contact surfaces, only five different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types were identified during the 27-month study period. Two of these PFGE types (S1 and S10-1) were previously identified to be persistent and BAC-resistant (BAC r ) strains in a geographically separate slaughterhouse belonging to the same company. The remaining three PFGE types, which were first identified in this study, were also BAC r . Whole-genome sequencing and in silico multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis of five BAC r isolates of the different PFGE types identified in this study showed that the isolate of the S1 PFGE type belonged to MLST sequence type 31 (ST31), a low-virulence type characterized by mutations in the inlA and prfA genes. The isolates of the remaining four PFGE types were found to belong to MLST ST121, a persistent type that has been isolated in several countries. The ST121 strains contained the BAC resistance transposon Tn6188. The disinfection-resistant L. monocytogenes population in this RTE pork product plant comprised two distinct genotypes with different multidrug resistance phenotypes. This work offers insight into the L. monocytogenes subtypes associated with persistence in food processing environments. Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium of the phylum Firmicutes. Often found in raw foods, L. monocytogenes bacteria can cause the life-threatening disease listeriosis. Most cases of human listeriosis appear to be caused by ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, and the risk of illness increases with the number of cells ingested and with RTE foods that support the growth of L. monocytogenes (1). Processed foods can be contaminated by contact with equipment, by the handling of raw products by staff, or from postprocessing environmental niches in which L. monocytogenes can survive despite the routine use of thorough disinfection procedures (2, 3). Mechanisms that facilitate the survival of L. monocytogenes in food processing environments include biofilm formation (4, 5), acquisition of antimicrobial resistance (6-10), and stress resistance mechanisms (11,12).L. monocytogenes is capable of colonizing food production plants with certain subtypes that are found only in specific sections of the plants (13, 14). Furthermore, some of these subtypes may persist in food processing environments for years (15-17). Persistent strains have been identified to be major postprocessing contaminants of RTE foods, and in many cases, listeriosis outbreaks have been associated with cases of p...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Connection between Persistent, Disinfectant-Resistant Listeria monocytogenes Strains from Two Geographically Separate Iberian Pork Processing Plants: Evidence from Comparative Genome Analysis

Ortiz

López-Alonso

Rodríguez³

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

101

100

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“…This would require very large data sets and a large complete study involving sampling, see e.g. (Muhterem-Uyar et al, 2015), and this is not part of the scope of the present study.…”

Section: Selection Of Strains To Fulfil the Main And Specific Objectimentioning

confidence: 99%

Closing gaps for performing a risk assessment on Listeria monocytogenes in ready‐to‐eat (RTE) foods: activity 3, the comparison of isolates from different compartments along the food chain, and from humans using whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis

Nielsen

Björkman

Kiil

et al. 2017

EFSA Supporting Publications

111

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This report presents the results of the project "Closing gaps for performing a risk assessment on Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods: activity 3, the comparison of isolates from different compartments along the food chain, and from humans using whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis". The main objective was to compare L. monocytogenes isolates collected in the EU from ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, compartments along the food chain and from human cases by the use of WGS. A total of 1,143 L. monocytogenes isolates were selected for the study, including 333 human clinical isolates and 810 isolates from the food chain. The isolates were whole genome sequenced. The phylogeny showed a clear delineation between L. monocytogenes lineages and between clonal complexes within lineages. A range of typing methods were applied to the sequence data, providing the framework to answer questions on genetic diversity and epidemiological relationships. Retrospective analysis of nine outbreaks showed that WGS is a powerful tool in national and international outbreak investigations as WGS can accurately rule isolates in or out of outbreaks. Source attribution models showed bovine reservoir to be the main source of human disease although other sources also contributed and generally confidence intervals were high. Numerous consistent genetic linkages between a priori unlinked strains were identified, some of which involved isolates from multiple countries. The presence of putative markers conferring the potential to survive/multiply in the food chain and/or cause disease in humans was explored by detecting the presence of putative virulence genes, AMR genes and factors conferring the ability to persist in the food processing chain. This study has demonstrated one of the major benefits of WGS, which is the ability to address a wide range of questions including those on virulence, antimicrobial resistance, source attribution, surveillance and outbreak detection and investigation, in a single experiment.

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“…L. monocytogenes is a particularly resilient bacterium and can survive many stresses which would be encountered in a food processing facility, including low pH, high salt, and low temperatures (even refrigeration). It can also form biofilms so can be very difficult to completely remove from a facility (Muhterem‐Uyar et al, ). As L. monocytogenes is commonly present in the environment (soil, water, silage, etc.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Production of safer food by understanding risk factors for L. monocytogenes occurrence and persistence in food processing environments

Álvarez‐Ordóñez

Leong

Hunt

et al. 2018

Journal of Food Safety

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Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis, a relatively rare gastrointestinal disease with a high mortality rate. As L. monocytogenes is ubiquitous in the environment, control of the organism in food processing environments is necessary to prevent cross‐contamination of the food from the environment. In this study, the outcomes of a survey of management practices at 32 food processing facilities were statistically correlated with the occurrence and persistence of L. monocytogenes using multiple regression analyses and logistic regression analysis. No management practices correlated with persistence, while training of staff by management or external trainers, and separation of hygiene control areas correlated with a reduction in L. monocytogenes occurrence. The importance of management practices in reduction of L. monocytogenes in food processing environments was identified. Wider implementation of these practices could contribute to reduction in the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in food processing environments, facilitating production of safer food. Practical applications This study highlights that management practices can decrease the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in food processing environments, helping with the production of safer food. In particular, segregation of areas close to food contact and relevant training of staff by management are important. If applied, these simple practices could help with reduction of L. monocytogenes in food.

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Environmental sampling for Listeria monocytogenes control in food processing facilities reveals three contamination scenarios

Cited by 130 publications

References 58 publications

The Connection between Persistent, Disinfectant-Resistant Listeria monocytogenes Strains from Two Geographically Separate Iberian Pork Processing Plants: Evidence from Comparative Genome Analysis

The Connection between Persistent, Disinfectant-Resistant Listeria monocytogenes Strains from Two Geographically Separate Iberian Pork Processing Plants: Evidence from Comparative Genome Analysis

Closing gaps for performing a risk assessment on Listeria monocytogenes in ready‐to‐eat (RTE) foods: activity 3, the comparison of isolates from different compartments along the food chain, and from humans using whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis

Production of safer food by understanding risk factors for L. monocytogenes occurrence and persistence in food processing environments

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