Dynamics of microbiome and resistome in a poultry burger processing line

Traditionally, surveillance programs for food products and food processing environments have focused on targeted pathogens and resistance genes. Recent advances in high throughput sequencing allow for more comprehensive and untargeted monitoring. This study assessed the microbiome and resistome in a poultry burger processing line using culturing techniques and whole metagenomic sequencing (WMS). Samples included meat, burgers, and expired burgers, and different work surfaces. Microbiome analysis revealed spoilage microorganisms as the main microbiota, with substantial shifts observed during the shelf-life period. Core microbiota of meat and burgers included Pseudomonas spp., Psychrobacter spp., Shewanella spp. and Brochothrix spp., while expired burgers were dominated by Latilactobacillus spp. and Leuconostoc spp. Cleaning and disinfection (C&D) procedures altered the microbial composition of work surfaces, which still harbored Hafnia spp. and Acinetobacter spp. after C&D. Resistome analysis showed a low overall abundance of resistance genes, suggesting that effective interventions during processing may mitigate their transmission. However, biocide resistance genes were frequently found, indicating potential biofilm formation or inefficient C&D protocols. This study demonstrates the utility of combining culturing techniques and WMS for comprehensive of the microbiome and resistome characterization in food processing lines.