Contamination Of Meat Products Research Articles

Air quality assessment of poultry and swine houses in Chonburi Province

ABSTRACT The increased consumption of animal products has led to a proliferation of animal husbandry operations, particularly in agricultural countries. Animal husbandry facilities or livestock farming directly impact the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the environment, giving rise to various issues such as odors, contamination of water and air sources with pathogens, and potential contamination of meat products originating from these facilities. This research aims to assess the impacts on the physical (temperature, relative humidity and air velocity), chemical (carbon dioxide, total volatile organic compounds and particulate matter), and biological air quality assessment (amount and type of bioaerosols) aspects resulting from pig and poultry farming. The findings will serve as valuable data for managing and addressing these aforementioned issues. It was found that both in poultry and swine houses generated total suspended particles (TSP) and PM10 (Particulate Matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less). Analysis of poultry house exhaust revealed elevated concentrations of TSP and PM10 exceeding established health benchmarks. Chickens tend to produce a higher concentration of VOCs (2.07 ± 0.57 ppm) compared to swine (0.82 ± 0.53 ppm). Staphylococcus epidermidis was predominant bacteria in both swine and poultry houses while Cladosporium sp was the most prevalent fungi in poultry houses. These results in this study are very useful for developing targeted mitigation strategies, products, devices to address specific pollutants produced by each type of livestock, reducing overall environmental impact and improving air quality within and around animal husbandry facilities. Implications: This research highlights how the growing demand for meat is affecting the environment, especially in farming areas. By studying the effects of pig and poultry farming on things like air and water quality, the study shows the challenges these farms pose, like bad smells and pollution. They found that both types of farms release a lot of tiny particles and smelly chemicals into the air, but there are differences between them. Understanding these findings can help us develop ways to reduce the pollution from these farms and make the air cleaner for everyone.

Alpha toxin production potential and antibiotic resistance patterns of clostridium perfringens isolates from meat samples

Objective: This research aimed to analyze the prevalence, molecular characteristics, toxinotyping, alpha toxin production potential, and antibiotic resistance pattern of <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> (<i>C. perfringens</i>) isolates in meat samples collected from various sources.Methods: Sixty meat samples were screened for alpha toxin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, revealing a positivity rate of 13.3%, predominantly in raw poultry meat. Subsequent culturing on Perfringens agar identified nine samples harboring characteristic <i>C. perfringens</i> colonies, primarily isolated from raw poultry meat. Molecular confirmation through 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing authenticated twelve isolates as C. perfringens, with nine strains exhibiting genetic resemblance to locally isolated strains. Toxinotyping assays targeting alpha toxin-specific genes confirmed all nine isolates as type A <i>C. perfringens</i>, with no detection of beta or epsilon toxin genes. Hemolytic assays demonstrated varying alpha toxin production potentials among isolates, with accession number OQ721004.1 displaying the highest production capacity. Moreover, antibiotic resistance profiling revealed multi-drug resistance patterns among the isolates.Results: The study identified distinct clusters within <i>C. perfringens</i> strains, indicating variations. Phylogenetic analysis delineated genetic relatedness among strains, elucidating potential evolutionary paths and divergences.Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for robust surveillance and control measures to mitigate the risk of <i>C. perfringens</i> contamination in meat products, particularly in raw poultry meat. Enhanced monitoring and prudent antimicrobial stewardship practices are warranted in both veterinary and clinical settings to address the observed antibiotic resistance profiles and prevent foodborne outbreaks.

Are online meatball restaurants in Indonesia committed to their declared Halal label?

Background and Aim: Halal restaurants participating in online food delivery services do not require halal certification. The Halal status of products through the Halal logo provides the consumer with information on the basis of which he decides to buy. Online transactions involve potential risks related to online processes, payment methods, and product quality. The aim of this study was to determine whether a declared Halal label is in accordance with the business processes implemented. Materials and Methods: Halal authentication of Gofood's meatball partner products in Yogyakarta and Solo Raya determined the incompatibility of meatball ingredients. Sixty meatball samples were collected from Yogyakarta and 30 samples from Solo Raya. Halal certification test was carried out using the thermal cycle polymerase chain reaction method at Universitas Gadjah Mada Animal Husbandry Laboratory and the results were used to identify pork contamination in meatballs. The addition of pork or pork meatballs was used as a control. Results: Eight meatball restaurants in the Solo Raya and Yogyakarta areas were found to be contaminated with pig DNA. The results of the tracing materials and processes, i.e., the grinding stage, are critical because all samples were supposed to be made from beef. It is known from interviews that contamination with pig DNA at the milling stage was accidental. Conclusion: Restaurants that sell meatballs are committed to adhering to product labels that are 91.1% safe from pork contamination. The Halal and original beef labels were in accordance with their statements. This study highlights the concept of Halal authentication with traceability to overcome pork contamination in meat products. Keywords: halal authentication, halal supply chain, online food delivery, traceability.

Evaluation of the antibacterial, modulatory and anti-adherent properties of oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oil against food pathogenic bacteria

There are over 250 types of foodborne diseases, the majority of which are infections caused by bacteria. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus are considered contaminants of meat products. The use of natural products as antimicrobials to combat these diseases can be an effective and economical approach. This study proposes to assess the antibacterial, modulatory, and anti-adherent activity of the essential oil of Origanum vulgare against strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus isolated from meat products. The assay was conducted in duplicate. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using the broth microdilution technique. MIC represents the lowest concentration of the product capable of inhibiting the growth of the bacterial strain, whereas MBC represents the lowest concentration capable of inhibiting total growth. The study of association of the product with antimicrobials was undertaken by disk diffusion using ampicillin, gentamicin, ceftazidime, and ciprofloxacin, resulting in synergistic, antagonistic, or indifferent effects. Anti-adherent activity was determined in the presence of sucrose, as the lowest concentration of the agent in contact with sucrose that prevented adherence to the glass tube. Oregano oil exhibited strong inhibitory and bactericidal activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, with MIC values ranging from 32 to 512 μg mL-1 and MBC values ranging from 128 to 512 μg mL-1. Origanum vulgare oil showed varied interactions when associated with antimicrobials, with modulations for synergism (37.5%), indifference (50%), and antagonism (12.5%). Regarding anti-adherent activity, the test product effectively inhibited the adherence of P. aeruginosa bacterial strains in the presence of sucrose (1:8) but had no effect against K. pneumoniae or S. saprophyticus. Therefore, oregano oil proves to be an antibacterial and modulating agent against different bacteria isolated from meat products. Additionally, it displays anti-adherent properties against P. aeruginosa, making it a natural product that could serve as an interesting alternative in efforts to combat foodborne diseases.

Deep learning based on the Vis-NIR two-dimensional spectroscopy for adulteration identification of beef and mutton

Rapid and accurate identification of contaminated meat products represents a global challenge, particularly with regard to minced meat products. This study reports on two methods for analyzing the adulteration of beef and mutton: the deep learning combined with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) method, and the PLS-DA method. The 2DCOS method employed in this research substantially improves the resolution of one-dimensional Vis-NIR spectra, allowing for the visualization of spectral information changes within the samples. By analyzing the impact of various proportions of chicken, duck, and pork mixed with beef or mutton, the synchronous 2DCOS images unveil distinct patterns of chemical information alteration within the spectra under different adulteration scenarios. Notably, the auto peaks and cross peaks observed within the 400–1400 nm range serve as key indicators of these changing patterns. The ResNet deep learning method possesses the advantageous capability to effectively extract 2DCOS feature information, resulting in the achievement of high accuracy models (100%). In contrast, the accuracy of the PLS-DA model test set, based on either raw or pre-processed spectral data matrices, ranged from 32.97% to 50.64%. These results substantiate the effectiveness of utilizing 2DCOS in combination with deep learning as a powerful tool for discerning beef and mutton adulteration.

Tracking the contamination sources of microbial population and characterizing Listeria monocytogenes in a chicken slaughterhouse by using culture-dependent and -independent methods

Listeria monocytogenes is the etiologic agent of listeriosis, a foodborne disease that poses a threat to public health globally. Chicken meat exhibits heightened susceptibility to L. monocytogenes contamination during butchery. The persistence of this pathogen in the slaughterhouse environment enables recurring contamination of meat products. This study aimed at identifying the sources and transmission routes of L. monocytogenes contamination within an abattoir where it was consistently detected for three consecutive years (2019–2021). Furthermore, the environmental factors aiding contamination along chicken processing lines were determined by surveying the microbiome within the facility. Samples collected in 2019 to 2021 were subjected to culture-dependent analysis to assess the prevalence, serotypes, and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of L. monocytogenes. Additionally, the specimens collected in 2021 underwent culture-independent analysis via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to identify the contamination sources and characterize the entire microbial community within the slaughterhouse. L. monocytogenes was isolated only from the clean zone, where the final slaughtering stage occurs. Most strains isolated from the final carcasses showed the same genetic cluster as the isolate in the chilling water and were assigned to MLST profile ST3. Culture-independent qPCR confirmed L. monocytogenes contamination in all samples, excluding post-scalding carcasses, prewashed post-evisceration carcasses, and the bleeding areas. Consequently, qPCR enabled more comprehensive identification of L. monocytogenes contamination points than culture-dependent approaches. Moreover, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing demonstrated that psychro-tolerant and spoilage-related bacteria with L. monocytogenes-like attributes exhibited enhanced viability in the clean zone and immersion-chilling water. Metagenomics-based source tracking analysis further revealed that the shackles and chilling waters represent predominant sources of cross-contamination between different slaughterhouse zones, whereas the grading and packaging workstations and chilling water in the clean zone were deemed crucial sources affecting final carcass contamination. Collectively, these findings demonstrate through culture-dependent and -independent methods that L. monocytogenes spreads along the slaughter line, contaminating the slaughterhouse. Moreover, by investigating changes in microbial community and bacterial flow along the slaughter line within the facility, the sources influencing carcass contamination can be effectively traced.

Risk Classification Assessment and Early Warning of Heavy Metal Contamination in Meat Products

Risk classification assessment and early warning systems are indispensable tools and technologies in the realm of regulatory control. Evaluating and issuing early warnings regarding heavy metal contaminants in meat products play a pivotal role in ensuring public safety and maintaining societal stability. In this study, we focused on heavy metal pollutants such as lead, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic. We collected national inspection data for meat products from 20 provinces in 2020. Combining dietary structure data, toxicology information, and dietary exposure assessment methods, we constructed a risk assessment model for heavy metal contaminants in food. Furthermore, we employed an entropy weight-based analytic hierarchy process (AHP-EW) to classify the results of the risk assessment for heavy metal contaminants in food. This involved determining risk rating levels and thresholds. Finally, we constructed a multi-step food contaminant risk prediction model based on the Transformer framework. To validate the model’s performance, comparative assessments were conducted across 20 datasets using various models. The results clearly indicate that the Transformer model outperformed the others in 14 datasets, excelling in its ability to provide advanced warnings for heavy metal risks in meat products. This empowers relevant authorities to strengthen their regulatory oversight of meat products based on the procedures and models proposed in this study, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of food safety risk management.

First serological and molecular investigation of hepatitis E virus infection in dromedary camels in Algeria.

Hepatitis E is an acute self-limited or fulminant infection in humans, caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). This member of the Hepeviridae family has been identified in a wide range of domestic and wild animals all over the world, with a possible transmission to humans through fecal oral route, direct contact and ingestion of contaminated meat products, making it one of the global zoonotic and public health major concerns. Since there is no monitoring program and a lack of data on HEV in animals in Algeria, the current preliminary survey has been undertaken to elucidate the exposure to the virus in camels at abattoirs of six southern provinces of Algeria. Two-hundred and eight sera/plasma were collected and analyzed (by double antigen sandwich ELISA) for the presence of total anti-HEV antibodies, among which 35.1% were positive, but no HEV RNA could be isolated from them (by two pan-HEV nested RT-PCR and broad range real-time reverse transcription RT-PCR). The univariate analysis showed significant associations (p < 0.05) between HEV seroprevalence and province of origin, age, and sex of camels, whereas the multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a negative impact of camels' age on it. The obtained results confirm that HEV infection is widespread established in the camelid population of Algeria.

Visual isothermal amplification detection of ASFV based on trimeric G-quadruplex cis-cleavage activity of Cas-12a

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a kind of DNA virus and can infect both domestic pigs and wild boars with fatality up to 100%. The contaminated meat products mainly led to the worldwide transmission of ASFV. The outbreak of ASF greatly affects the supply stability of meat products as well as the development of the global pig industry. In this study, a visual isothermal amplification detection assay for ASFV based on trimeric G-quadruplex cis-cleavage activity of Cas12a was developed. The introduction of Cas12a could discriminate the specific amplification from the non-specific amplification and improve the sensitivity. The detection limit was as low as 0.23 copies/μL. This assay had good potential in the detection of ASFV and would be helpful for the stability of meat production and supply.

Areas within the United States at the Highest Risk for African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever, and Foot-and-Mouth Disease Introduction

Domestic livestock production is a major component of the agricultural sector, contributing to food security and human health and nutrition and serving as the economic livelihood for millions worldwide. The impact of disease on global systems and processes cannot be understated, as illustrated by the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic through economic and social system shocks and food system disruptions. This study outlines a method to identify the most likely sites of introduction into the United States for three of the most concerning foreign animal diseases: African swine fever (ASF), classical swine fever (CSF), and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). We first created an index measuring the amount of potentially contaminated meat products entering the regions of interest using the most recently available Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Monitoring (AQIM) air passenger inspection dataset, the AQIM USPS/foreign mail, and the targeted USPS/foreign mail interception datasets. The risk of introduction of a given virus was then estimated using this index, as well as the density of operations of the livestock species and the likelihood of infected material contaminating the local herds. Using the most recently available version of the datasets, the most likely places of introduction for ASF and CSF were identified to be in central Florida, while FMD was estimated to have been most likely introduced to swine in western California and to cattle in northeastern Texas. The method illustrated in this study is important as it may provide insights on risk and can be used to guide surveillance activities and optimize the use of limited resources to combat the establishment of these diseases in the U.S.

High occurrence of hepatitis E virus in raw pork liver and pork liver pâté produced in the Canadian province of Quebec

The Hepatitis E virus is widespread throughout the world and causes sporadic cases of liver disease. In industrialized countries, its transmission is zoonotic, with pigs, deer, and wild boar being major reservoirs. Humans can be infected by ingesting raw or undercooked contaminated meat products. In the Canadian province of Quebec, HEV has been detected previously in pork liver and chops. In the present study, we analyzed 83 pork liver pâtés sold in local grocery stores and 79 raw pork livers obtained from Quebec hog processors. HEV RNA was extracted and detected by RT-qPCR. HEV RNA was amplified in 29% of the pâtés and 4% of the raw pork livers. Out of all amplified PCR-positive samples, only one showed a product during electrophoresis and was sent for sequencing. The resulting sequence matched a strain belonging to genotype 3 (HEV-3). This pilot study shows that HEV is present frequently in pork liver-based products in the province of Quebec.

Intervention Strategies to Control Campylobacter at Different Stages of the Food Chain.

Campylobacter is one of the most common bacterial pathogens of food safety concern. Campylobacter jejuni infects chickens by 2-3 weeks of age and colonized chickens carry a high C. jejuni load in their gut without developing clinical disease. Contamination of meat products by gut contents is difficult to prevent because of the high numbers of C. jejuni in the gut, and the large percentage of birds infected. Therefore, effective intervention strategies to limit human infections of C. jejuni should prioritize the control of pathogen transmission along the food supply chain. To this end, there have been ongoing efforts to develop innovative ways to control foodborne pathogens in poultry to meet the growing customers' demand for poultry meat that is free of foodborne pathogens. In this review, we discuss various approaches that are being undertaken to reduce Campylobacter load in live chickens (pre-harvest) and in carcasses (post-harvest). We also provide some insights into optimization of these approaches, which could potentially help improve the pre- and post-harvest practices for better control of Campylobacter.

Molecular Characterization of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium Isolated from a Meat Source in Shahrekord Local Markets, Iran.

Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and E. faecium (E. faecium) are commensals of the gastrointestinal biota of humans and animals and are considered opportunistic pathogens. This study aimed to improve the knowledge about E. faecalis and E. faecium isolated from meat. To this end, 104 meat samples were collected from sheep, goats, cattle, and calves from Shahrekord local markets in Iran. Presumptive colonies of E. faecalis and E. faecium were isolated from the samples and subjected to identification tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect some virulence genes. Furthermore, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA typing and repetitive element sequence-based PCR fingerprinting were used to show the clonal relatedness of the isolates. The results revealed that enterococci were present in 90 out of 104 samples. Specifically, E. faecalis and E. faecium were the commonly isolated species, with the predominance of E. faecalis, which exhibited high resistance to streptomycin (95%) but was susceptible to vancomycin (85.6%). Virulence genes detection showed that ccf and cpd genes were the most prevalent genes in both species. In addition, the molecular typing method indicated that the isolates belonged to separate subgroups. This study shows the contamination of meat products by potential pathogens and resistant enterococci. There is a need to implement regular surveillance to monitor the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant E. faecalis and E. faeciumin food, particularly in meat production.

Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in meat products during 2017–2019 depending on technological factors and seasons

Microbiological examination of contamination of imported and domestic meat products with pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes depending on a meat type, technology and season was carried out during 2017–2019. In total, 2777 product samples were analyzed; the presence of this pathogen was revealed in 8.8% of products (244 positive samples). It was found that the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in meat products increased over three years of observation (2017–2019). The highest occurrence of this pathogen was found in poultry meat (on average 18.7%) followed by products from beef (13.2%). Meat products from mixed raw materials (beef and pork) accounted for 5.3% of tested samples, while in pork semi-finished products L. monocytogenes was found only in 3.2% of cases. It was noted that the technology of semi-finished products significantly affected the level of contamination of meat products with L. monocytogenes. Various technological approaches are used in the production process increasing the risk of contamination of the finished product since there is no timely data on Listeria contamination of raw materials used for production of a particular product. It has been established that a significant role in microbiological studies is played by various approaches to sample preparation of analyzed samples of meat cuts, semi-finished products in large and small pieces, as well as minced semi-finished products. Not knowing the real level of surface contamination with L. monocytogenes of carcasses, half-carcasses, semi-finished products in large pieces, manufacturers use such raw materials for the subsequent production of other types of semi-finished meat products, increasing the risk of manufacturing unsafe products with following contamination of equipment, work surfaces and other objects of the production environment. The highest occurrence of L. monocytogenes in meat products during three years of observation was found in the summer period (14.2%). The proportions of positive samples in the winter, spring and autumn months varied on average within 6.7–7.1%.

Forms of Bacterial Survival in Model Biofilms

Bacterial survival upon sharp fluctuations of environmental parameters and exposure to lethal doses of stressors (antibiotics, disinfectants, heat shock, and others) is ensured by the use of different strategies of resistance, an important place among which is occupied by the forms with reduced or stopped metabolism, antibiotic tolerant (AT) persister (P) cells, anabiotic dormant forms (DFs), and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells. Elucidating the role of these forms of bacterial resistance to an impact of chemical and biological toxicants and physical stressors is of great fundamental and practical interest. The aim of this research was to study the dynamics of the resistance forms in bacteria developing in biofilms and, for comparison in liquid media, upon exposure to lethal doses of antibiotics and heat shock (80 °C, 15 min). In the trials, the experimental model of the development of monospecies and binary forms of bacterial biofilms including contaminants of meat products (eight strains of genera Pseudomonas, Escherichia, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Kocuria) on the fiberglass filters was used. It was established that survival of populations in the presence of lethal doses of antibiotics and upon heating was ensured by persister cells forming in bacterial populations and, at the late stages of the development of biofilm or planktonic cultures (28 days of incubation), by anabiotic DFs. With that, the number of thermoresistant (TR) DFs (103–104 CFU/mL) in dying biofilms (28 days) developing in the standard conditions (composition and volume of a medium, pH, growth temperature) weakly depended on the bacterial taxonomic status. This study demonstrates the heterogeneity of DF populations of biofilm bacterial cultures in terms of the depth of dormancy, as a result of which the number of thermoresistant DFs after heating can exceed their total number before heating (due to the effect of DF revival, resuscitation). When studying the dynamics of TR cells and P cells in bacterial biofilm and planktonic cultures, it was found that their number (CFU/mL) in populations decreased up to the absence of TR cells and P cells on the 21st day of growth and was restored on the 28th day of growth. The revealed phenomenon can be explained only by cardinal changes in the ultrastructural organization of cells, namely, cytoplasm vitrification due to a sharp decrease in an amount of free water in a cell, which, according to the results obtained, occurs in the period between the 21st and 28th days of incubation. A high degree of correlation between the number of AT cells and TR cells (0.5–0.92) confirms the hypothesis that regards P cells as precursors of DFs.

Clinical study on turkeys of the combined coli-salmonella bacteriophage

Infectious diseases of turkeys, in particular salmonellosis and colibacteriosis, are a serious problem and lead to significant economic losses. The damage is due to the high mortality of young animals, reduced egg production in breeding herds, deterioration of meat quality, costs of treatment, elimination of the disease and preventive measures. However, the main problem is the impact of contaminated meat products on public health. The use of antibiotics allows you to get good results in treatment, but it is ineffective in terms of eliminating infection. To solve this problem, it is advisable to minimize their use in industry, as well as replace them with other antimicrobial agents. One of such promising areas is the use of bacteriophages. This paper presents the results of a clinical study of a combined bacteriophage on turkey in industrial conditions, confirming its safety and effectiveness. The basis for conducting clinical trials of the combined coli-salmonella bacteriophage were cases of infectious pathology caused by enteropathogenic escherichia, periodically recorded in young turkeys, as well as the detection of Salmonella enteritidis isolates in pathological material during monitoring studies. The disease was manifested by a violation of the gastrointestinal tract, intoxication with signs of depression, ruffled feathers, typical pathoanatomic changes in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. With the prophylactic use of the combined bacteriophage, there were no outbreaks of colibacteriosis and salmonellosis, whereas 3 cases of colibacteriosis were recorded in the control group, confirmed by the results of bacteriological studies. When evaluating the therapeutic effect, it was found that the use of the drug for a course of 3-5 days makes it possible to effectively stop the disease, regardless of the age category of the bird. With the course use of the drug, there was no increase in mortality and an increase in the number of forcibly culled poultry, which indicates the harmlessness of the tested drug. When assessing the economic efficiency, it was found that the costs of treatment courses of the drug in the experimental group were less than in the control group. Similar results were obtained with the prophylactic use of the drug.

Composite Coating for the Food Industry Based on Fluoroplast and ZnO-NPs: Physical and Chemical Properties, Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity, Cytotoxicity

Bacterial contamination of meat products during its preparation at the enterprise is an important problem for the global food industry. Cutting boards are one of the main sources of infection. In order to solve this problem, the creation of mechanically stable coatings with antibacterial activity is one of the most promising strategies. For such a coating, we developed a composite material based on "liquid" Teflon and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The nanoparticles obtained with laser ablation had a rod-like morphology, an average size of ~60 nm, and a ζ-potential of +30 mV. The polymer composite material was obtained by adding the ZnO-NPs to the polymer matrix at a concentration of 0.001-0.1% using the low-temperature technology developed by the research team. When applying a composite material to a surface with damage, the elimination of defects on a micrometer scale was observed. The effect of the composite material on the generation of reactive oxygen species (H2O2, •OH), 8-oxoguanine in DNA in vitro, and long-lived reactive protein species (LRPS) was evaluated. The composite coating increased the generation of all of the studied compounds by 50-200%. The effect depended on the concentration of added ZnO-NPs. The antibacterial and antibiofilm effects of the Teflon/ZnO NP coating against L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and S. typhimurium, as well as cytotoxicity against the primary culture of mouse fibroblasts, were studied. The conducted microbiological study showed that the fluoroplast/ZnO-NPs coating has a strong bacteriostatic effect against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, the fluoroplast/ZnO-NPs composite material only showed potential cytotoxicity against primary mammalian cell culture at a concentration of 0.1%. Thus, a composite material has been obtained, the use of which may be promising for the creation of antibacterial coatings in the meat processing industry.

Antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni in commercial and smallholder farm animals in the Asante Akim North Municipality of Ghana.

Worldwide, farm animals, in particular poultry, are an important reservoir for Campylobacter spp. However, information on Campylobacter colonization in farm animals in Africa is scarce. Hence, this cross-sectional study determined antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter from both commercial and smallholder farm animals in the Asante Akim North Municipality of Ghana. Fecal samples from poultry and livestock kept by commercial and smallholder farms were collected and analyzed using standard microbiological methods. The overall Campylobacter frequency was 20.3% (n/N = 322/1,585), and frequencies detected were similarly high in isolates from commercial (21.0%, n/N = 169/805) and smallholder (19.6%, n/N = 153/780) farms. Species isolated were C. coli (67.7%, n/N = 218/322) and C. jejuni (32.3%, n/N = 104/322). However, the frequency of C. coli was 2.1 (95% CI: 1.8-2.5) times higher than what was found for C. jejuni. Campylobacter frequencies in the rainy season was 22.2% (n/N = 258/1,160) and 15.1% (n/N = 64/425) in the dry season (prevalence ratio = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.2-1.9). About 1.7% (n/N = 6/322) of the Campylobacter isolates, all from smallholder farms, were susceptible to all antibiotics tested. Multidrug resistance was observed for 4.7% (n/N = 15/322) of the Campylobacter isolates, of which 93.3% (n/N = 14/15) occurred in isolates from commercial farms. This study highlights the need for the implementation of control programs, in commercial farming but also at the smallholder farm level, to formulate clear guidelines aimed at decreasing Campylobacter contamination of meat products and reducing the use of antibiotics in the farming sector.

The drugs Toxi-sorb and Lecithin in the rations of steers on fattening and the effectiveness of their use

The industrial technology of steers for meat fattening implies an increase in the proportion of local feed products in the ration of fattened animals to reduce the prime-cost of meat products. However, there is a problem of compliance with the ecological purity of the beef produced. After all, in the presence of environmental pollution factors with various toxins of chemical origin, there is a risk of their ingestion with feed, which is associated with contamination of meat products produced by them. The purpose of the research was to study the drugs Toxi-sorb and Lecithin in the rations of fattened steers and the eff ectiveness of their use. Under the conditions of the south of Russia the expediency of using joint additives in the rations of fattened steers of the adsorbent Toxi-sorb and phospholipid Lecithin for detoxifi cation of heavy metals in order to intensify metabolic processes, increase beef productivity, consumer qualities of beef was justifi ed. It was found as a result of research that in order to increase beef productivity, consumer qualities of beef and the profi tability of its production (in the presence of excessive amounts of heavy metal salts in feed) the adsorbent Toxi-sorb in the dose of 1,25 kg/t of compound feed and Lecithin in the dose of 10 g/100 kg of live weight should be included in the rations of fattening steers. During the production trial the fattened steers of the experimental group surpassed the steers of the control group in absolute and average daily live weight gains by 10,11 %. Taking into account the higher growth–stimulating eff ect of the joint additives of the tested drugs the best feed to product conversion rate was for the steers of the experimental group, which did intake by 9,78 % less EFU and by 9,86 % less digestible protein to obtain 1 kg of gain than the control steers.

Combining enrichment with multiplex real-time PCR leads to faster detection and identification of Campylobacter spp. in food compared to ISO 10272–1:2017

Conventional protocols for the detection of Campylobacter from foods are laborious and time-consuming. This research describes an alternative procedure (EMRT-PCR) for the detection of Campylobacter from food by combining ISO 10272–1:2017 enrichment in Bolton broth (BB) with a multiplex real-time (MRT-) PCR assay. Species differentiation was done by targeting C. jejuni (mapA), C. coli (ceuE), and both species (cje). The detection limit of the MRT-PCR assay was 4.5 and 5.5 log10 cfu/ml in BB and BB containing chicken skin, respectively. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to predict the probability that campylobacters reach the MRT-PCR detection threshold throughout enrichment in BB, and results suggested that cold-stressed campylobacters could reach the detection limit after 40 h of enrichment (p = 0.99). As a proof of principle, 23 naturally contaminated meat products were enriched according to ISO 10272–1:2017 procedure A, and the EMRT-PCR in parallel. After 24 h, 12 and 11 samples already tested positive for Campylobacter with the ISO method and EMRT-PCR, respectively. After 40 h, the 24-h-negative sample was also positive with EMRT-PCR. The EMRT-PCR takes about 2 days to produce reliable results, while results using ISO 10272–1:2017 can take up to 8 days, which demonstrate the potential of the EMRT-PCR method.