Microbiological safety of poultry meat: risk assessment as a way forward

Molecular Epidemiology of Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli from Farm-To-Fork in Intensive Poultry Production in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The increased use of antibiotics in food animals has resulted in the selection of drug-resistant bacteria across the farm-to-fork continuum. This study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli from intensively produced poultry in the uMgungundlovu District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Samples were collected weekly between August and September 2017 from hatching to final retail products. E. coli was isolated on eosin methylene blue agar, identified biochemically, and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Susceptibility to 19 antibiotics was ascertained by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. PCR was used to test for resistance genes. The clonal similarity was investigated using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR). In total, 266 E. coli isolates were obtained from all the samples, with 67.3% being non-susceptible to at least one antibiotic tested and 6.7% multidrug resistant. The highest non-susceptibility was to ampicillin (48.1%) and the lowest non-susceptibility to ceftriaxone and azithromycin (0.8%). Significant non-susceptibility was observed to tetracycline (27.4%), nalidixic acid (20.3%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (13.9%), and chloramphenicol (11.7%) which have homologues used in the poultry industry. The most frequently observed resistance genes were bla_CTX-M (100%), sul1 (80%), tetA (77%), and tetB (71%). ERIC-PCR grouped isolates into 27 clusters suggesting the spread of diverse clones across the farm-to-fork continuum. This reiterates the role of intensive poultry farming as a reservoir and a potential vehicle for the transmission of antibiotic resistance, with potentially severe public health implications, thus, requiring prompt and careful mitigation measures to protect human and environmental health.

Review of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment in Poultry Meat: The Central Position of Consumer Behavior

Food of animal origin, especially meat products, represent the main vehicle of foodborne pathogens and so are implicated in foodborne outbreaks. Poultry meat is a widely consumed food in various forms, but it is also a reservoir of thermotolerant Campylobacter and Salmonella bacterial species. To assess human health risks associated with pathogenic bacteria in poultry meat, the use of quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) has increased over the years as it is recognized to address complex food safety issues and is recommended by health authorities. The present project reviewed poultry meat QMRA, identified key steps of the farm-to-fork chain with significant impacts on food safety, highlighted current knowledge gaps, and provided risk mitigation advices. A PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses)-based systematic analysis was carried out and enabled the collection of 4056 studies including 42 QMRA kept for analysis after screening. The latter emphasized Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. contaminations during the consumer stage as the main concern. The role of consumer handling on cross-contamination and undercooking events were of major concern. Thus, proper hygiene and safety practices by consumers have been suggested as the main intervention and would need to be followed with regular surveys to assess behavior changes and reduce knowledge gaps.