Occurrence, distribution and diversity of Listeria monocytogenes contamination on beef and pig carcasses after slaughter
- Resource Type
- Authors
- L. De Zutter; Geertrui Rasschaert; Niels Demaître; K. De Reu; Annemie Geeraerd; I. Van Damme
- Source
- Meat Science. 169:108177
- Subject
- Serotype
Salmonella
Veterinary medicine
Swine
animal diseases
Colony Count, Microbial
Indicator bacteria
Food Contamination
medicine.disease_cause
0404 agricultural biotechnology
Belgium
Enterobacteriaceae
Listeria monocytogenes
medicine
Animals
Pathogen
biology
0402 animal and dairy science
food and beverages
04 agricultural and veterinary sciences
Contamination
biology.organism_classification
040401 food science
040201 dairy & animal science
Red Meat
Food Microbiology
Listeria
Cattle
Abattoirs
Food Science
- Language
- ISSN
- 0309-1740
In this study we investigated the prevalence and location of Listeria monocytogenes and hygiene indicator bacteria on beef and pig carcasses. Carcasses were sampled after slaughter and before cooling at eight and nine sites on the carcass, respectively. For each sample, detection and enumeration of Listeria was performed, as well as the enumeration of Total Aerobic Counts (TAC) and Enterobacteriaceae. The L. monocytogenes isolates were also typed to determine pulsotypes and clonal complexes (CC). L. monocytogenes was detected on 46% [95% CI: 35-56%] of beef and 22% [95% CI: 11-32%] of pig carcasses. Contamination levels at the different carcass sites differed considerably between beef and pigs. Genetic typing of strains suggests that carcass contamination originates from both incoming animals with transmission during slaughter practices as well as persistent (CC9) contamination from the slaughterhouse environment. These findings can be used to understand the complexity of introduction and persistence of this pathogen in slaughter facilities. Accurate correlation of L. monocytogenes presence proved unfeasible with any of the tested hygiene indicator bacteria.