Prevalence and characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes in meat, meat products, food handlers and the environment of the meat processing and the retail facilities of a company in Northern Greece

In this study, we investigated the incidence of Listeria monocytogenes in the receiving meat, the meat products, the personnel and the environment of a vertically integrated company in Northern Greece owing a processing plant and three trading facilities. A total of 303 samples were examined from the receiving raw meat, raw meat preparations, ready-to-eat meat products, processing surfaces and the environment of these facilities as well as the food handlers' hands and nasal cavities. MALDI-TOF MS was used for Listeria identification; from the 22 (7·26%) positive to Listeria spp. isolates, 12 (3·96%) identified as L. monocytogenes, eight (2·64%) as Listeria innocua and two (0·66%) as Listeria welshimeri. Molecular serotyping of L. monocytogenes isolates by multiplex PCR revealed 11 strains belonging to serogroup IIa (1/2a and 3a) and one to IIc (1/2c and 3c). The assay for the detection of the virulence-associated genes revealed eight isolates carrying all the examined genes (inlA, inlB, inlC, plcA, prfA, actA, hlyA and iap) and four carrying all except the actA gene. Eleven (91·7%) of the isolates showed a strong ability to form biofilm. All isolates were multidrug resistant. The MALDI-TOF Main Spectrum Profile (MSPs), revealed three clusters: one with five isolates (four from environmental samples and one from a food handler), one with five isolates (all from environmental samples) and one with two isolates (both from raw meat products). MALDI-TOF MS seems to be a reliable tool for the identification of niches and contamination routes in processing plants, contributing also to the evaluation and improvement of the applied preventive measures to control L. monocytogenes.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a controversial food-borne pathogen

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of severe healthcare-associated (HA) infections. Although during the last decade the incidence of HA invasive infections has dropped, the incidence of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections has risen among the general population. Moreover, CA-MRSA, livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) and HA-MRSA (HA-MRSA) can be found in foods intended for human consumption. Several studies from different geographical areas have reported the presence of enterotoxin genes in several MRSA food isolates. Molecular typing studies have revealed genetic relatedness of these enterotoxigenic isolates with isolates incriminated in human infections. The contamination sources for foods, especially animal-origin foods, may be livestock as well as humans involved in animal husbandry and food-processing. Under favourable environmental conditions for growth and enterotoxin production, enterotoxigenic S. aureus isolates present in foods can cause staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP), irrespective of the contamination origin. Owing to the typically moderate clinical manifestations of SFP, the S. aureus strains responsible for SFP (cases or outbreaks) are frequently either not identified or not further characterized. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is rarely performed, because administration of antimicrobial therapy is not required in the vast majority of cases. Staphylococcal food poisoning is the result of consumption of foods with preformed enterotoxins. Hence, similar to methicillin-sensitive enterotoxigenic S. aureus, enterotoxigenic MRSA can also act as food-borne pathogens upon favourable conditions for growth and enterotoxin production. The severity of the intoxication is not related to the antimicrobial resistance profile of the causative S. aureus strain and therefore MRSA food-borne outbreaks are not expected to be more severe.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This review evaluates the potential of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as food-borne pathogens based on the current knowledge about the epidemiology of MRSA, their prevalence in livestock, foods of animal origin and humans, and their ability to produce enterotoxins.

Isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. from ready-to-eat fish products

A hundred samples from ready-to-eat (RTE) fish products were examined for the presence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus spp. Staphylococci were isolated from 43% of these samples (n = 100). The identified species in the samples were Staphylococcus aureus (7%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (13%), Staphylococcus xylosus (12%), Staphylococcus sciuri (4%), Staphylococcus warneri (3%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (2%), Staphylococcus schleiferi (1%) and Staphylococcus auricularis (1%). Two Staph. aureus (MRSA) isolates, three Staph. epidermidis (MRSE), five Staph. xylosus, four Staph. sciuri, one Staph. schleiferi and one Staph. saprophyticus isolates were resistant to oxacillin and all of them carried the mecA gene. The two MRSA isolates belonged to the spa types t316 (ST359) and t548 (ST5) and none of them was able to produce enterotoxins. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis for Staph. aureus and Staph. epidermidis isolates revealed 6 and 11 distinct PFGE types, respectively, reflecting diversity. The presence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci, especially MRSA and MRSE, in RTE fish products may constitute a potential health risk for consumers.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study provides the first data on the occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci in salted and smoked fish products in Greece. These results are important and useful for Staphylococcus spp. risk assessment and management programmes for ready-to-eat fish products.

Purification and biochemical characterization of a novel alkaline protease produced by Penicillium nalgiovense

Penicillium nalgiovense PNA9 produces an extracellular protease during fermentation with characteristics of growth-associated product. Enzyme purification involved ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, and ultrafiltration, resulting in 12.1-fold increase of specific activity (19.5 U/mg). The protein was isolated through a series of BN-PAGE and native PAGE runs. ESI-MS analysis confirmed the molecular mass of 45.2 kDa. N-Terminal sequencing (MGFLKLLKGSLATLAVVNAGKLLTANDGDE) revealed 93 % similarity to a Penicillium chrysogenum protease, identified as major allergen. The protease exhibits simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics and K m (1.152 mg/ml), V max (0.827 mg/ml/min), and k cat (3.2 × 10(2)) (1/s) values against azocasein show that it possesses high substrate affinity and catalytic efficiency. The protease is active within 10-45 °C, pH 4.0-10.0, and 0-3 M NaCl, while maximum activity was observed at 35 °C, pH 8.0, and 0.25 M NaCl. It is active against the muscle proteins actin and myosin and inactive against myoglobin. It is highly stable in the presence of non-ionic surfactants, hydrogen peroxide, BTNB, and EDTA. Activity was inhibited by SDS, Mn(2+) and Zn(2+), and by the serine protease inhibitor PMSF, indicating the serine protease nature of the enzyme. These properties make the novel protease a suitable candidate enzyme in meat ripening and other biotechnological applications.

Effects of the presence of the curing agent sodium nitrite, used in the production of fermented sausages, on bacteriocin production by Weissella paramesenteroides DX grown in meat simulation medium

Weissellin A is a listericidal bacteriocin produced by the sausage-isolated strain of Weissella paramesenteroides DX. The response of the strain to various concentrations of the added curing agent NaNO2 (0.0025, 0.005 and 0.01g/L) was evaluated in bioreactor fermentations using a meat simulation medium. The presence of nitrite suppressed bacteriocin production - the effect being more pronounced with increasing concentrations. Weissellin A was produced as a growth-associated metabolite in the absence of nitrite or its presence in the low concentration of 0.005g/L under aerobic conditions. The suppressive effect of nitrite was apparent under conditions supporting increased specific production rates, e.g. 50% and 100% dissolved oxygen tension, but no effect was observed under anaerobic conditions. As the latter prevail in the microenvironment of fermented meat products, the absence of any influence of nitrite on bacteriocin production is an important finding that enlightens the role of this species of lactic acid bacteria in its common substrates.

Temperature distribution and prevalence of Listeria spp. in domestic, retail and industrial refrigerators in Greece

The present paper examined the presence of Listeria spp. in the environment of domestic, retail and industrial refrigerators. From 136 household refrigerators, 136 surface samples were taken from the walls or shelves, and 125 from cheese compartments. Only two refrigerators harboured L. monocytogenes. From 228 food store refrigerators, 335 samples were taken. Of these, 118 were in in contact with cheeses, 69 with sausages, 21 with cheese and sausages, 20 with miscellaneous products and 107 from refrigerator handles. Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes were found in 3.1% and 1.7%, of the samples respectively. Listeria spp. was not detected in any of the nine dairy plant refrigerators examined. Listeria monocytogenes and L. innocua were found in 4.5 and 36.4%, respectively, of the 22 refrigerators inside meat processing plants, with only one of 22 refrigerators handles being positive for L. monocytogenes. Temperature distribution in the refrigerators was also investigated. Fifty five per cent of the 136 domestic and 32% of the 228 retail store refrigerators had temperatures of greater than or equal to 9 degrees C. The range of refrigeration temperatures of the industrial refrigerators was 0-2 degrees C for meat plants and 2-7 degrees C for dairy plants. No correlation of any kind could be established between the prevalence of Listeria spp. and the temperature of the various refrigerators due to the low number of positive samples.