Microbial exposure and diversity in Norwegian shrimp processing plants

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Environmental microbiology
• Food science

Background:

• Seafood processing workers experience high rates of respiratory symptoms and occupational asthma, often linked to protein exposure.
• Airborne microorganisms from raw seafood materials can also cause allergic sensitization and respiratory ailments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess microbial exposure in Norwegian shrimp processing plants.
• To identify specific work tasks with higher microbial exposure risks.

Main Methods:

• Collected full-shift personal air samples from two shrimp processing plants across five work processes.
• Analyzed samples for endotoxin, Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) activation, bacterial and fungal DNA, and microbial composition.

Main Results:

• Endotoxin levels were generally low, with one sample exceeding the occupational exposure limit (OEL).
• Thawing workers showed significant TLR2 activation. Flour production workers had the highest bacterial and fungal DNA loads.
• Pre-cooking tasks (thawing, truck driving) exhibited higher microbial load and diversity than post-cooking tasks.

Conclusions:

• Pre-cooking stages in shrimp processing present higher microbial exposure risks.
• Cooking significantly reduces bacterial exposure, highlighting its protective effect.
• Identifying high-exposure tasks allows for targeted interventions to prevent occupational respiratory diseases.