Development of a Salmonella screening tool for consumer complaint-based foodborne illness surveillance systems

Norovirus surveillance among callers to foodborne illness complaint hotline, Minnesota, USA, 2011-2013

Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne disease in the United States. During October 2011–January 2013, we conducted surveillance for norovirus infection in Minnesota among callers to a complaint-based foodborne illness hotline who reported diarrhea or vomiting. Of 241 complainants tested, 127 (52.7%) were positive for norovirus.

Control of Salmonella enterica Typhimurium in chicken breast meat by irradiation combined with modified atmosphere packaging

Salmonella is one of the leading causes of human foodborne illnesses originating from meat and poultry products. Cross-contamination of Salmonella from raw to cooked products continues to be problematic in the food industry. Therefore, new intervention strategies are needed for meat and poultry products. Vacuum or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) are common packaging techniques used to extend the shelf life of meat products. Irradiation has been well established as an antibacterial treatment to reduce pathogens on meat and poultry. Combining irradiation with high-CO(2)+CO MAP was investigated in this study for improving the control of Salmonella enterica Typhimurium on chicken breast meat. The radiation sensitivities (D10-values) of this pathogen in chicken breast meat were found to be similar in vacuum and in high-CO(2)+CO MAP (0.55 ± 0.03 kGy and 0.54 ± 0.03 kGy, respectively). Irradiation at 1.5 kGy reduced the Salmonella population by an average of 3 log. Some Salmonella cells survived in both vacuum and high-CO(2) + CO MAP through 6 weeks of refrigerated storage following irradiation. This pathogen also grew in both vacuum and MAP when the product was held at 25°C. This study demonstrated that irradiation is an effective means of reducing Salmonella on meat or poultry, but packaging in either vacuum or MAP had little impact during subsequent refrigerated storage.