Listeria and E. coli have been discovered throughout testing of unpasteurized, uncooked milk from farms in Germany.
From 2020 to 2022, the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Workplace (CVUA) in Stuttgart examined 54 uncooked milk samples from merchandising machines for a variety of brokers.
Parameters examined included somatic cell depend, whole germ depend, spoilage organisms, hygiene indicator germs corresponding to Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli, and pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
The sale of uncooked milk is usually prohibited however it may be bought instantly on the farm through self-service merchandising machines. The producers ought to put up notices telling the customers to boil uncooked milk earlier than consumption.
Some findings have been optimistic as 30 samples have been compliant however 24 had points. Outcomes spotlight the significance of normal cleansing of milking machines, pipes, and tanks at dairy farms, stated scientists. Inadequate cooling may also result in contamination of uncooked milk.
A complete of 52 samples have been analyzed for Pseudomonas and 16 had a germ content material above 104 Colony Forming Items per milliliter (CFU/mL). Enterobacteriaceae was examined in 53 samples and in 13 it was above 103 CFU/mL. Discovering Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae can point out that the milk merchandising machine or tools has not been correctly cleaned, stated scientists.
In whole, 53 samples have been examined for indicator E. coli and 5 have been above 102 CFU/mL.
Salmonella and Campylobacter weren’t present in any exams. STEC was detected in seven samples. Three have been optimistic for Listeria monocytogenes. Two of those have been beneath 10 CFU/g however the different optimistic was at increased ranges.
Detection of pathogens can point out hygiene deficiencies within the assortment and dealing with of uncooked milk. It additionally reveals the necessity to verify the effectiveness of preventive measures and to provoke methods to enhance hygiene at dairy farms, stated scientists.
They added that optimistic outcomes for Listeria and STEC make it clear there’s a must have a boiling discover on uncooked milk merchandising machines for self-service. At-risk teams, corresponding to babies, pregnant ladies, the aged, and sick individuals are suggested to not drink uncooked milk with out boiling it first.
Wider work in 2022
In a unique evaluation as a part of work in 2022, the 4 CVUAs within the state of Baden-Württemberg detected STEC in 4 of 44 uncooked milk samples.
After ingesting uncooked milk on a farm, a toddler with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) needed to be handled in intensive care. Lab testing remoted STEC from the uncooked milk mixture pattern of the dairy cow herd, however it couldn’t be matched with the affected person isolate supplied by the hospital.
Samples despatched to a lab in Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg as a result of foodborne sickness investigations elevated in comparison with 2021. In 2022, 765 samples linked to 297 incidents have been processed in reference to suspected food-related sicknesses. The variety of samples is increased than in 2021 and 2020 however beneath 2019 ranges.
In examined meals samples on the 4 labs, a variety of Salmonella sorts have been discovered together with Agona, Amsterdam, Bardo, Chester, Coeln, Derby, Enteritidis, Havana, Infantis, Kintambo, Kottbus, Mbandaka, Newport, Orion, Paratyphi, Senftenberg, Typhimurium, and Virchow.
In a single incident, Salmonella infections occurred in a number of younger ladies this previous 12 months. Salmonella Mbandaka and Salmonella Chester have been recognized and epidemiological investigations led to an Asian restaurant because the suspected place of sickness. Lab evaluation detected Salmonella Chester and Salmonella Mbandaka in spring onions and a kind of mushroom.
A world Salmonella outbreak was revealed on the finish of 2021 linked to sesame merchandise corresponding to halva and tahini from Syria. As a part of a particular program in 2022, German officers examined 69 samples of halva and 60 of tahini. A complete of 11 tahini and 5 halva samples have been Salmonella optimistic. Salmonella Amsterdam, Senftenberg, Havana, Kintambo, and Orion have been recognized.
A case of Bacillus cereus intoxication was traced to a restaurant that admitted to making ready mushrooms after which preserving them heat till use. Two individuals fell in poor health as a result of Staphylococcus aureus after consuming goat’s cheese from a neighborhood market. Tuna which had not been appropriately refrigerated was additionally behind a number of histamine instances at a restaurant.
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