Food Protection Trends - July/August 2021 - 421

from plants (17), fruits and vegetables (38), infant formula
(30), and flour (15). However, in contrast to the findings
of Oonaka et al. (33) and Mardaneh and Dallal (30), we
did not detect P. dispersa in infant formula, suggesting that
the factories producing this product likely conformed to
all hygienic and food safety standards, including adequate
pasteurization of raw materials, ensuring absence of
microbiological contaminants in heat-labile ingredients, and
adequate cleaning and sanitization of processing equipment.
Pantoea dispersa has been described as an opportunistic or
secondary pathogen; therefore, infections are likely to be very
mild or self-limiting in most individuals (35). Nevertheless,
recent studies have revealed the presence of this pathogen
in health care settings (3, 4, 20, 32, 34, 36), where it has
been associated with various pathologies including lung
infection, bacteremia, neonatal infections, and septicemia.
Hence, caution should be exercised during the handling of
LMFs in neonatal care, health care settings, and homes for
the elderly. Because this pathogen was frequently isolated
from wheat flour and cereals, public health authorities should
institute hygiene education programs at the consumer level.
These programs should be used to raise awareness of the
health risks associated with P. dispersa in LMFs, especially
ready-to-eat cereals that are often consumed without a heatkilling
step. Currently, no microbiological standards have
been developed for Pantoea spp. in any of the food products
mentioned in the Mauritius Food Regulations (31). Because
P. dispersa is an emerging foodborne pathogen, a review of
the Mauritius food standards is needed.
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CONCLUSIONS
HorizonScan was a suitable database for monitoring
international food contamination events linked to
Cronobacter spp. in a variety of LMFs. In all, a relatively
small number of notifications (31) were recorded from
2002 to 2019, suggesting that current processes for control
or elimination of Cronobacter spp. are effective. However,
contrary to our expectations presumptive Cronobacter
isolates from local products in Mauritius were identified as
P. dispersa after molecular analysis. This study is the first to
report the presence of P. dispersa in the dry food supply chain
of Mauritius. Overall, 35% of food samples were positive for
P. dispersa, with 100% prevalence in wheat flour. P. dispersa
is an emerging pathogen worthy of concern, and findings of
this study underscore the need for routine microbiological
testing of LMF products for Pantoea spp. The Mauritius food
regulations should be revised to include microbiological
reference criteria for P. dispersa for specific foods such as
flour, dried milk, and cereals.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The University of Mauritius is acknowledged for supporting
this research in kind. Laboratory personnel of the
University of Mauritius are also thanked for their technical
support. The authors are also grateful to M. Hosenally and A.
Ruggoo for assistance with statistical analysis of data and to
FoodChainID Group, Inc. for granting complimentary access
to the HorizonScan database.
July/August Food Protection Trends 421
http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/rasff/index_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/rasff/index_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/rasff/index_en.htm https://www.ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk7366/files/inline-files/209893.pdf https://www.ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk7366/files/inline-files/209893.pdf https://www.ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk7366/files/inline-files/209893.pdf
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