Food Protection Trends - February 2009 - 88

Vero/Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli: What Serotypes are Pathogenic? ALFREDO CAPRIOLI, Istituto Superiore di SanitÃ, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are foodborne pathogens causing severe human infections. Although STEC may belong to a variety of serogroups, STEC O157 is a major cause of human disease but also other serogroups, e.g., O26, O111, O103 and O145, are frequently associated with severe human disease are referred to as enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). EHEC cause attaching and effacing lesion (eae) on the intestinal mucosa and are characterized by a low infectious dose, requiring very sensitive methods for food testing. A standardized method based on immuno-magnetic enrichment is available for STEC O157, while for serogroups other than O157 the issue is still under debate. A possible approach aims at the detection of any STEC in the food sample by testing enrichment cultures for toxin production, and/or presence of stx genes. The STEC strains will be then characterized. An advantage is the identification of STEC belonging to any serogroup. A drawback is that the presence of low-pathogenic STEC will complicate the detection of EHEC, likely present in lower concentration, requiring the examination of large number of samples. An alternative strategy is directly targeted to the restricted number of EHEC serogroups. This approach is mainly based on the use of PCR to assess the presence of stx, eae, and serogroup-associated genes. It has the advantage to be very sensitive and to allow a direct discrimination between samples containing low pathogenic STEC (positive for stx only) and samples likely contaminated by EHEC. In this respect, the additional presence of eae and serogroup-related genes will predict the level of risk for human health associated with the food sample. SESSION 4: Risk Assessment and Risk Management – Part I Impact of Distributions of Microorganisms on Food Safety Management Criteria kEITH JEWEll, Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association, Chipping Campden GL55 6LD Gloucestershire, Uk The physical distribution of microorganisms in food influences the effectiveness of detecting them by sampling (e.g., for lot acceptance, process control). The frequency distributions chosen to represent microorganism distributions are fundamental to the correct assessment of sampling plans and Microbiological Criteria. Discuss the physical (spatial) distributions that might occur in food. Consider their effects on the resulting frequency distributions and outline the criteria that might be considered when choosing frequency distributions to portray them. Illustrate the effects of that choice on the prediction of sampling plan performance. Risk Assessment Approaches to Setting Thermal Processes in Food Manufacturing PHIlIP rICHArDSoN, Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association, Head Food Manufacturing Technologies Dept., Chipping Campden, Gl55 6lD Gloucestershire, Uk Thermal treatments are at the heart of many food preservation strategies. These may involve the application of heat to inactivate target organisms. Alternatively, the use of chilled temperatures is another form of heat treatment that requires careful management of risk. All validated thermal processes require the assessment of the risks associated with raw materials, the thermal process and onward distribution to assure the safety of products to the consumer. This risk assessment is the basis of HACCP-driven QA strategies in food manufacturing operations. This paper describes approaches to the management of risk associated with raw materials for use in thermal processes and also considers the approaches that would be necessary to tailor processes to specific target microorganisms in an attempt to reduce any negative impact on product quality through over processing. SESSION 5: Risk Assessment and Risk Management – Part II Global Food Safety Management Standards CATHErINE FrANCoIS, CIES – The Food Business Forum, Food Safety Programmes, 7, rue de madrid, 75008 Paris, France Consumer confidence in food bought around the world has dropped significantly over the last year or so, and managing food safety consistently in the global marketplace has become the major challenge in today’s world for all stakeholders in the supply chain. Even though food has always been a global business, supply chains are becoming increasingly longer and more complex, as consumers become more demanding and food safety can no longer be managed within national boundaries. The Global Food Safety Initiative is one of the solutions that has been developed to address this issue by the food business, to ensure food is as safe as possible for consumers. Comparison between Different Standards lINDA JACkSoN, Von Holy Consulting CC, P.o. Box 48651, roosevelt Park 2129, South Africa Global trade of food including raw material, processed and fresh produce is increasing and with it the risk of exporting or importing food safety hazards. This risk can be dependent on the challenges of trading in different legal 88 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | FEBRUARY 2009

Food Protection Trends - February 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - February 2009