The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the spread of Salmonella Enteritidis to different cutting boards (wood, triclosan-treated plastic, glass, and stainless steel) from contaminated poultry skin (5 log CFU/g) and then to tomatoes and to analyze the effect of different protocols used to clean these surfaces to control contamination. The following procedures were simulated: (1) no cleaning after handling contaminated poultry skin; (2) rinsing in running water; (3) cleaning with dish soap and mechanical scrubbing; and (4) cleaning with dish soap and mechanical scrubbing, followed by disinfection with hypochlorite. The pathogen was recovered from all surfaces following procedure 1, with counts ranging from 1.90 to 2.80 log, as well as from the tomatoes handled on it. Reduced numbers of S. Enteritidis were recovered using the other procedures, both from the surfaces and from the tomatoes. Counts were undetectable after procedure 4. From all surfaces evaluated, wood was the most difficult to clean, and stainless steel was the easiest. The use of hypochlorite as a disinfecting agent helped to reduce cross-contamination.

This study aimed to track Yersinia enterocolitica contamination in a pork production chain in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to characterize the virulence and antibiotic resistance of isolates. Samples were collected from four different steps of the pork production chain (pig farm, carcass, processing environment and end product; n = 870), and tested for the presence of Y. enterocolitica. The pathogen was detected in 8 samples (palatine tonsils = 5; mesenteric lymph nodes = 2; carcass after bleeding = 1), from which 16 isolates were obtained and identified as Y. enterocolitica bioserotype 4/O:3. XbaI macrorestriction allowed the clustering of isolates in 5 pulsetypes, and the identification of identical profiles of Y. enterocolitca isolated from different samples. All isolates were positive for the virulence related genes ail, virF, myfA, ystA, tccC, ymoA, hreP and sat, and negative for ystB, ystC, fepA, fepD and fes. Considering 17 antibiotics from 11 classes, only ciprofloxacin and kanamycin were effective against all isolates, and three multidrug resistance profiles were identified among them, with simultaneous resistance to 9 of 11 classes. All isolates presented positive results for emrD, yfhD and marC, related to multidrug resistance. The results of this study demonstrated the contamination routes of Y. enterocolitica within the assessed pork production chain, and highlighted the pathogenic potential and antibiotic resistance of this foodborne pathogen.

This study aimed to establish a manufacturing protocol and to characterize semihard cheese covered with lard and rosemary during ripening. After the manufacturing protocol was defined, the cheeses were produced with pasteurized and raw milk from Holstein cows, with and without (control) coating, and then ripened for 60 d. During this period the physicochemical properties, color, proteolysis, texture profile, and sensory acceptance were performed. The early-ripening cheeses differed from the others in terms of color and moisture content. Multivariate statistical analysis separated chesses in groups differentiated by the effects of heat treatment of milk and ripening period. The ripened cheeses obtained from raw milk were sensorially more preferred. The coating gave the final products higher moisture content and favored color and texture characteristics. Consumer testing showed that the cheese obtained from raw milk and coated with lard and rosemary was the most preferred (acceptance of 82%) due to the specific coating of rosemary (aroma and flavor). This product has potential to add value and to diversify the production of semihard cheeses.

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of multidrug-resistant, extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Salmonella spp. isolated from conveyor belts of broiler cutting rooms in Brazilian broiler processing plants. Ninety-eight strains of Salmonella spp. were analyzed. Multidrug resistance was determined by the disk diffusion test and the susceptibility of the isolated bacteria was evaluated against 18 antimicrobials from seven different classes. The double disk diffusion test was used to evaluate ESBL production. Of the 98 strains tested, 84 were multidrug resistant. The highest rates of resistance were against nalidixic acid (95%), tetracycline (91%), and the beta-lactams: ampicillin and cefachlor (45%), followed by streptomycin and gentamicin with 19% and 15% of strain resistance, respectively. By contrast, 97% of the strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol. 45% of the strains were positive for the presence of ESBL activity. In this study, high rates of multidrug resistance and ESBL production were observed in Salmonella spp.

The aims of this study were to analyze the biofilm-producing ability of 98 strains isolated from different surface materials in poultry cutting rooms; to assess the presence of the most important to Salmonella biofilm formation genes adrA and csgD in these strains; and to evaluate the tolerance biofilms formed in polypropylene and polyurethane slides to sanitizers commonly used in the industry. Viable cells were removed from the slides soon after treatment with sanitizers, and then submitted to reincubation for a new count. Only one strain was a strong biofilm-producer in polystyrene; 70% of strains were weak, and 29% were moderate producers. Both genes were found in all strains. There were differences in adhesion to polypropylene and polyurethane, and scanning electron microscopy showed that polyurethane surface was more irregular. No viable cells were recovered in polypropylene slides treated with sanitizers; in polyurethane, reduction in viable cell counts soon after sanitizer treatment was enough to consider that sanitizers were efficient. On the other hand, treatment with peracetic acid was not considered efficient. Results of this study should be considered a food safety warning, due to the importance of the biofilmproducing ability both in vitro and in real poultry processing plants.

The aim of this work was to verify the occurrence, quantification, pulse types, and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Salmonella sp. isolated from chicken meat produced and marketed in the state of Paraná, considered to be the state with the highest production of poultry meat in Brazil. Ninety-five of 300 (31.5%) frozen cuts of chicken were found to contain Salmonella sp., and 98 different isolates of Salmonella sp. were cultured from the positive samples. Quantification showed low Salmonella sp. loading, ranging from 0.12 to 6.4 MPN/g. The antimicrobial resistance test was performed against 16 agents from 6 different classes. All isolates were sensitive to meropenem, imipenem, chloramphenicol, and amikacin. The highest resistance rates were observed for nalidixic acid (95%), tetracycline (94%), doxycycline (94%), ampicillin (87%), amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (84%), ceftriaxone (79%), and ciprofloxacin (76%). A total of 84 (85.7%) of the isolates were identified with a multidrug resistant profile, 13 of which were found to have encoding genes extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), especially bla CTX-M-2 e bla TEM-1. The major serovars identified were S. Typhimurium (43%) and S. Heidelberg (39%). The third most isolated serovar was S. Ndolo (6%), without previous reports of its presence in poultry meat in Brazil. Molecular characterization of S. Typhimurium and S. Heidelberg isolates by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) showed a clonal relationship between all isolates of the same serovar (genetic similarity greater than 80%). Isolates of S. Typhimurium and S. Heidelberg with 100% similarity were found in up to five different geographic regions of the state, showing the potential for the spread of this pathogen in the Paraná poultry chain. Epidemiological surveys like this are important to understand the dynamics of dissemination and to monitor the prevalence of pathogens in the final products of poultry chains. In addition, to know the resistance profile of strains of Salmonella sp. present in food that contributes to the adoption of faster and more effective therapeutic measures, when necessary. Keywords bla CTX-M-2. bla TEM-1. PFGE. Sequencing. Salmonella Ndolo. mMPN

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