MEAT PRODUCTS MICROBIOLOGICAL MEAT PRODUCTS MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION AND NUTRITIONAL CONTAMINATION AND NUTRITIONAL

QUALITY MONITORING NETWORK QUALITY MONITORING NETWORK

DEVELOPED FOR ROMANIADEVELOPED FOR ROMANIA

Ioana-Rodica LupsaIoana-Rodica Lupsa11, Iulia Neamtiu, Iulia Neamtiu22, Aurel Goia, Aurel Goia11, Vasile Ostafe, Vasile Ostafe33, , Emilian Damian PopoviciEmilian Damian Popovici11, Daniela Tulhina, Daniela Tulhina11

1 Institute of Public Health, Timisoara, Romania1 Institute of Public Health, Timisoara, Romania2 Environmental Health Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania2 Environmental Health Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

3 West University, Timisoara, Romania3 West University, Timisoara, Romania

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

The global food safety strategy of WHO includes The global food safety strategy of WHO includes as a main goal reducing of health and social as a main goal reducing of health and social burden of foodborne diseases also by burden of foodborne diseases also by surveillance systemssurveillance systems. .

In this regard the Ministry of Public Health in In this regard the Ministry of Public Health in Romania initiated national programs aiming to Romania initiated national programs aiming to protect the population and prevent outbreaks of protect the population and prevent outbreaks of diseases related to environmental risk factors, diseases related to environmental risk factors, by developing by developing surveillance methodologiessurveillance methodologies. .

MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH

INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH (IPH)TIMISOARA

IPHBUCHAREST

IPHCLUJ-NAPOCA

IPHIASI

42 PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES

ROMANIA with 42 counties / PAHs ROMANIA with 42 counties / PAHs (administrative and control units)(administrative and control units)

OBJECTIVOBJECTIV

Institute of Public Health Timisoara (IPHT) Institute of Public Health Timisoara (IPHT) developed a monitoring system for meat developed a monitoring system for meat products regarding their:products regarding their:nutritional quality,nutritional quality,microbiological contaminates andmicrobiological contaminates anddiseases risk.diseases risk.

OBJECTIVOBJECTIV

in order to establish a local, regional and in order to establish a local, regional and national :national :– networknetwork and and– a a databasedatabase

to be used in:to be used in:– food risk assessment for an evidence-based food risk assessment for an evidence-based national national

control strategycontrol strategy,,– as well as to perform as well as to perform capacity building capacity building for the Public for the Public

Health Authorities (PHAs) in all the 42 counties in Health Authorities (PHAs) in all the 42 counties in Romania, involved in the study. Romania, involved in the study.

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY

IPHT designed a web-based methodology IPHT designed a web-based methodology that was that was applied applied by all 42 PHAs (trained), consisting in:by all 42 PHAs (trained), consisting in:

data collection - data collection - questionnairesquestionnaires collecting collecting information about the hygienic conditions on the information about the hygienic conditions on the entire food chain;entire food chain;meat products samples meat products samples analysisanalysis to establish to establish nutritional quality and microbiological nutritional quality and microbiological contamination,contamination,

reportreport - - using an informational systemusing an informational system (for (for each county) andeach county) andcommunicationcommunication of harmonized data. of harmonized data.

RESULTSRESULTS

Data from the questionnaire revealed the Data from the questionnaire revealed the unacceptable figures:unacceptable figures:

15-18% of the 15-18% of the sanitation testessanitation testes, most of , most of them (59-67%) at the equipments and them (59-67%) at the equipments and working surfaces andworking surfaces and

only 42-63% of the meat plants had a only 42-63% of the meat plants had a functional functional HACCP systemHACCP system (not (not mandatory for Romania at that time).mandatory for Romania at that time).

RESULTSRESULTS

39-48% of the 23,385 collected samples had 39-48% of the 23,385 collected samples had unacceptable unacceptable nutritional valuesnutritional values for at least for at least one parameter:one parameter:

proteinprotein content bellow or above* the standard content bellow or above* the standard limits,limits,

fatfat content above the limits and content above the limits and

moistermoister above the limits. above the limits.*protein content with low nutritional value: animal protein substituted by *protein content with low nutritional value: animal protein substituted by

vegetal protein (soy and peas extracts) or animal protein with low vegetal protein (soy and peas extracts) or animal protein with low EAA content (collagen tissues).EAA content (collagen tissues).

RESULTSRESULTS

Data from questionnaires revealed the use of Data from questionnaires revealed the use of ingredients which ingredients which decreased the nutritional value decreased the nutritional value of the meat products:of the meat products:

starchstarch – increases perishability, respectively – increases perishability, respectively increases the microbiological risk;increases the microbiological risk;

collagen tissues collagen tissues - - tendon, cartilage, tendon, cartilage, aponeuroses;aponeuroses;

MDMMDM – – mechanical deboned meat – (poultry or mechanical deboned meat – (poultry or pork – not allowed any more).pork – not allowed any more).

Average protein content in sausages (min Average protein content in sausages (min

10%) during 2001-2004, in the 42 counties10%) during 2001-2004, in the 42 counties

Average fat content in sausages (max 28%) Average fat content in sausages (max 28%) during 2001-2004, in the 42 countiesduring 2001-2004, in the 42 counties

Average moisture content in sausages (max Average moisture content in sausages (max 68%) during 2001-2004, in the 42 counties68%) during 2001-2004, in the 42 counties

RESULTSRESULTS

Microbiological contamination Microbiological contamination has been identified has been identified in 12-18% of the samples:in 12-18% of the samples:most frequent types of pathogenetic bacteria most frequent types of pathogenetic bacteria were were coliformscoliforms (up to 88%) and (up to 88%) and E. ColiE. Coli (up to (up to 85%);85%);other identified microbiological contaminants other identified microbiological contaminants were were Bacillus Cereus Bacillus Cereus (up to 56%),(up to 56%), coagulase- coagulase-positive Staphilococcus positive Staphilococcus (up to 28%),(up to 28%), sulfite sulfite reducing Clostridiareducing Clostridia (up to 18%) (up to 18%) and and Salmonella Salmonella (up to 10%). (up to 10%).

RESULTSRESULTS

Most frequently contaminated assortments were:Most frequently contaminated assortments were:forcemeat forcemeat >> meat balls meat balls > > sausages prepared sausages prepared from swine entrails.from swine entrails.

Responsible for Responsible for foodborne diseasesfoodborne diseases outbreaks outbreaks due to contaminated meat products consumption due to contaminated meat products consumption were:were:Salmonella Salmonella followed byfollowed byE. ColiE. Coli followed by followed bycoagulase-positive Staphilococcuscoagulase-positive Staphilococcus. .

Number of Number of E. ColiE. Coli in sausages (max 1/g) in sausages (max 1/g) during 2001-2004, in the 42 countiesduring 2001-2004, in the 42 counties

Number of Number of coliformscoliforms in sausages (max 10/g) in sausages (max 10/g) during 2001-2004, in the 42 countiesduring 2001-2004, in the 42 counties

Number of Number of SalmonellaSalmonella in sausages (0/g) in sausages (0/g) during 2001-2004, in the 42 countiesduring 2001-2004, in the 42 counties

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

We consider that the development of such We consider that the development of such a network could be sustainable and useful a network could be sustainable and useful for a gradual introduction of a unitary, for a gradual introduction of a unitary, harmonized surveillance systemharmonized surveillance system of the of the manufacturing conditions, nutritional value manufacturing conditions, nutritional value and microbiological contamination and microbiological contamination (integrated (integrated food safety networkfood safety network) through ) through local, regional and national local, regional and national evaluations of evaluations of health risks related to meat productshealth risks related to meat products consumption.consumption.

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

It can It can detect faultsdetect faults and and needsneeds and provide and provide with a with a databasedatabase to support MPH in taking to support MPH in taking health-related health-related decisionsdecisions in these matters, in these matters, ensuring adequate ensuring adequate resourcesresources to establish to establish and strengthen the and strengthen the food safety programsfood safety programs and and national food safety plannational food safety plan. .

THANH YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !THANH YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !