A survey of microbial contamination of food contact surfaces at broiler slaughter plants in Taiwan

Bacterial contamination of chicken meat in slaughterhouses and the associated risk factors: A nationwide study in Thailand

Slaughterhouses are a key source of bacterial contamination in poultry meat and products, which is a major health and economic concern for several public authorities. This study aimed to quantify the non-compliance of bacterial contamination on chicken meat sampled from slaughterhouses and identify risk factors associated with the contamination. A questionnaire survey of 569 chicken slaughterhouses was undertaken and 1,707 meat samples were collected to determine the level of bacterial contamination. The proportion of the non-compliance associated with aerobic plate count [APC] (24.6%), Staphylococcus aureus (6.3%), Enterococcus spp. (24.7%), coliforms (13.5%), Escherichia coli (33.3%), and Salmonella spp. (33.4%) based on the livestock authorities' criteria was determined. Our results highlighted that the scalding process without scalding water temperature control or improper scalding increased the risk of APC (odds ratio, OR = 4.84, 95% CI: 2.72-8.61), S. aureus (OR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.29-5.55), Enterococcus spp. (OR = 3.38, 95% CI: 2.01-5.69), coliforms (OR = 3.01, 95% CI: 1.47-6.15), and E. coli (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.58-4.56) contamination on meat samples. Meat from eviscerated carcasses was more likely to be non-compliance due to contamination by E. coli (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.14-3.38). Furthermore, open or semi-closed system slaughterhouses (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.23-2.60) and lack of equipment for specific slaughtering areas (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.04-2.61) increased the likelihood of Salmonella spp. occurrence. This is the first study of factors influencing the non-compliance of meat samples across Thailand. Authorities can use the study findings to enhance food safety strategies at the national level.

Antimicrobial Coatings for Food Contact Surfaces: Legal Framework, Mechanical Properties, and Potential Applications

Food contact surfaces (FCS) in food processing facilities may become contaminated with a number of unwanted microorganisms, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus. To reduce contamination and the spread of disease, these surfaces may be treated with sanitizers or have active antimicrobial components adhered to them. Although significant efforts have been devoted to the development of coatings that improve the antimicrobial effectiveness of FCS, other important coating considerations, such as hardness, adhesion to a substrate, and migration of the antimicrobial substance into the food matrix, have largely been disregarded to the detriment of their translation into practical application. To address this gap, this review examines the mechanical properties of antimicrobial coatings (AMC) applied to FCS and their interplay with their antimicrobial properties within the framework of relevant regulatory constraints that would apply if these were used in real-world applications. This review also explores the various assessment techniques for examining these properties, the effects of the deposition methods on coating properties, and the potential applications of such coatings for FCS. Overall, this review attempts to provide a holistic perspective. Evaluation of the current literature urges a compromise between antimicrobial effectiveness and mechanical stability in order to adhere to various regulatory frameworks as the next step toward improving the industrial feasibility of AMC for FCS applications.