Pathogens and Antimicrobial Drug Resistance in the Food Chain, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 7868

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Guest Editor
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Av. da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: food safety; foodborne pathogens; microbial pathogenesis, traditional food products
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is the continuation of our previous Special Issue "Pathogens and Antimicrobial Drug Resistance in the Food Chain".

Antimicrobial drug resistance (AMDR) is considered to be one of the most serious global threats to human and animal health of the 21st century, due to the lack of therapeutic options.

Meanwhile, there is an increasing concern regarding the role of the food chain as a reservoir and disseminator of microbial pathogens and AMDR.

Therefore, active surveillance is fundamental to assess for the presence of foodborne pathogens, as well as the occurrence of resistant bacteria and resistance determinants, from the farm to the fork.

High-level publications regarding the presence of foodborne pathogens, resistant bacteria, and possible pathways for transmission along the food chain are crucial to overcome this global challenge.

Dr. Teresa Semedo-Lemsaddek
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • foodborne pathogens
  • antimicrobial drug resistance
  • food chain
  • dissemination
  • challenge
  • food safety

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2228 KiB  
Article
Drinking Pipes and Nipple Drinkers in Pig Abattoir Lairage Pens—A Source of Zoonotic Pathogens as a Hazard to Meat Safety
by Celine Buder, Diana Meemken, Roland Fürstenberg, Susann Langforth, Alina Kirse and Nina Langkabel
Microorganisms 2023, 11(10), 2554; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11102554 - 13 Oct 2023
Viewed by 825
Abstract
The water distribution system in the lairage pens of abattoirs could act as a route of contamination for produced meat. In this study, biofilm formation and the occurrence of specific pathogens in drinking equipment was investigated in different lairage pens in a German [...] Read more.
The water distribution system in the lairage pens of abattoirs could act as a route of contamination for produced meat. In this study, biofilm formation and the occurrence of specific pathogens in drinking equipment was investigated in different lairage pens in a German commercial pig abattoir. Samples of the water and the drinkers in different locations were microbiologically cultivated and examined. After new drinking equipment had been installed for one month, three months and five years, biofilm formation was detectable, and retrograde growth from the nipple drinkers was seen up to the connection with the main water distribution system. In particular, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. were found in all samplings of the nipple drinkers. Zoonotic pathogens, Salmonella, pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, were also isolated from the nipple drinkers, while Listeria monocytogenes was not detected via microbial cultivation methods in any of the samples. Since the pigs take the contaminated nipple drinkers into their mouths to drink, or drink contaminated water containing the pathogens, transmission and even infection of the pigs in the lairage can be assumed. This could consequently lead to contamination or cross-contamination of the meat during slaughter and processing and to a public health risk. Full article
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15 pages, 1238 KiB  
Article
Agar Contact Method as a Valuable Tool to Identify Slaughter Hygiene Deficiencies along the Slaughter Process by Longitudinally Sampling Pig Skin Surfaces
by Roland Fürstenberg, Nina Langkabel, Julia Grosse-Kleimann, Lothar Kreienbrock and Diana Meemken
Microorganisms 2023, 11(10), 2512; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11102512 - 08 Oct 2023
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Abstract
Examinations of total viable counts (TVCs) and Salmonella spp. on the skin of individual pigs during the slaughter process are useful to identify abattoir-specific risk factors for (cross-)contamination. At seven process stages (lairage to before chilling), pigs were bacteriologically investigated by repeatedly sampling [...] Read more.
Examinations of total viable counts (TVCs) and Salmonella spp. on the skin of individual pigs during the slaughter process are useful to identify abattoir-specific risk factors for (cross-)contamination. At seven process stages (lairage to before chilling), pigs were bacteriologically investigated by repeatedly sampling the same animals using the agar contact method. The mean TVC of all pigs increased significantly at the first three tested process stages (mean count, after delivery: 5.70 log cfu/cm2, after showering: 6.27 log cfu/cm2, after stunning: 6.48 log cfu/cm2). Significant mean TVC reductions occurred after scalding/dehairing (mean count: 3.71 log cfu/cm2), after singeing/flaming (2.70 log cfu/cm2), and after evisceration (2.44 log cfu/cm2) compared with the respective preceding process stages. At the end of the slaughter line and before chilling, the mean TVC was 2.33 log cfu/cm2, showing that the slaughter process reduced contamination significantly. The slaughter process effectively reduced even very high levels of incoming TVCs, since at the individual animal level, at the end of the slaughter process, there was no difference in the TVCs of animals with initially high and initially low TVCs. Additionally, 12 Salmonella spp. isolates were recovered from 12 different pigs, but only until the stage after scalding/dehairing. Overall, the agar contact method used is valuable for detecting hygiene deficiencies at slaughter, and is animal-equitable, practical, and suitable for use on live animals. Full article
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14 pages, 741 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Resistance and Clonal Lineages of Staphylococcus aureus from Cattle, Their Handlers, and Their Surroundings: A Cross-Sectional Study from the One Health Perspective
by Vanessa Silva, Susana Correia, Jaqueline Rocha, Célia M. Manaia, Adriana Silva, Juan García-Díez, José Eduardo Pereira, Teresa Semedo-Lemsaddek, Gilberto Igrejas and Patrícia Poeta
Microorganisms 2022, 10(5), 941; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10050941 - 30 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2259
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus have been progressively identified in farm animals and in humans with direct contact with these animals showing that S. aureus may be a major zoonotic pathogen. Therefore, we aimed to isolate S. aureus from cows, their handlers, and their immediate surroundings, [...] Read more.
Staphylococcus aureus have been progressively identified in farm animals and in humans with direct contact with these animals showing that S. aureus may be a major zoonotic pathogen. Therefore, we aimed to isolate S. aureus from cows, their handlers, and their immediate surroundings, and to investigate the antimicrobial resistance and genetic lineages of the isolates. Mouth and nose swabs of 244 healthy cows (195 Maronesa, 11 Holstein-Friesians, and 28 crossbreeds), 82 farm workers, 53 water and 63 soil samples were collected. Identification of species was carried out by MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper. The presence of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors was assessed based on gene search by PCR. All isolates were typed by multilocus sequence typing and spa-typing. From 442 samples, 33 (13.9%), 24 (29.3%), 1 (2%), and 1 (2%) S. aureus were recovered from cows, farm workers, water, and soil samples, respectively. Most of the isolates showed resistance only to penicillin. S. aureus isolates were ascribed to 17 sequence types (STs) and 26 spa-types. Some clonal lineages were common to both cows and farm workers such as ST30-t9413, ST72-t148, and ST45-t350. Through a One Health approach, this study revealed that there is a great diversity of clonal lineages of S. aureus in cows and their handlers. Furthermore, some S. aureus lineages are common to cows and handlers, which may suggest a possible transmission. Full article
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Review

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21 pages, 1772 KiB  
Review
Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria from Meat and Meat Products: A One Health Perspective
by Sara Conceição, Maria Cristina Queiroga and Marta Laranjo
Microorganisms 2023, 11(10), 2581; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11102581 - 17 Oct 2023
Viewed by 2172
Abstract
According to the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, one of the sustainable development goals is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The need to ensure food safety includes, other than microbiological hazards, concerns with antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. The emergence of resistant [...] Read more.
According to the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, one of the sustainable development goals is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The need to ensure food safety includes, other than microbiological hazards, concerns with antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. The emergence of resistant bacteria in the food industry is essentially due to the abusive, and sometimes incorrect, administration of antimicrobials. Although not allowed in Europe, antimicrobials are often administered to promote animal growth. Each time antimicrobials are used, a selective pressure is applied to AMR bacteria. Moreover, AMR genes can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of meat-harbouring-resistant bacteria, which highlights the One Health dimension of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, the appropriate use of antimicrobials to ensure efficacy and the best possible outcome for the treatment of infections is regulated through the recommendations of antimicrobial stewardship. The present manuscript aims to give the current state of the art about the transmission of AMR bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant S. aureus, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp., along with other ESKAPE bacteria, from animals to humans through the consumption of meat and meat products, with emphasis on pork meat and pork meat products, which are considered the most consumed worldwide. Full article
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