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Summary
Listeria monocytogenes bacteria were found in 14.7% of ready-to-cook chickens sold in shops. These foodborne pathogens, including serotypes 4 and 1/2, pose a risk to consumers.
Area of Science:
- Food safety
- Microbiology
- Public health
Background:
- Listeria monocytogenes is a significant foodborne pathogen.
- Ready-to-cook poultry is a common source of food contamination.
- Contaminated poultry can lead to listeriosis outbreaks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-cook poultry.
- To identify the serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes found in poultry.
- To assess the risk of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in retail poultry.
Main Methods:
- Sampling of 68 "oven-ready" poultry products from 26 retail outlets.
- Microbiological analysis for the isolation of Listeria monocytogenes.
- Serotyping of isolated Listeria monocytogenes strains.
Main Results:
- Listeria monocytogenes was detected in 10 out of 68 (14.7%) poultry samples.
- Isolated strains belonged to serotypes 4 and 1/2.
- One chicken sample yielded both serotypes 4 and 1/2.
Conclusions:
- Ready-to-cook poultry products can be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
- The presence of multiple serotypes highlights a potential public health concern.
- Retail poultry requires stringent safety measures to prevent contamination.