TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessment of risk to humans related to Salmonella from bile on pig carcasses

AU - Alban, Lis

AU - Poulsen, Maybritt Kiel

AU - Petersen, Jesper Valentin

AU - Lindegaard, Lene Lund

AU - Meinert, Lene

AU - Koch, Anette Granly

AU - Møgelmose, Vibeke

N1 - Funding Information: The Abattoir Company Danish Crown is acknowledged for providing access to the gall bladders. The laboratory technicians and the head of laboratory, Pia Below Andersen, at Danish Crown's laboratory in Horsens are acknowledged for analysing the samples. The study was part of the project ?Salmonella action plan for pigs and pig meat, zoonoses and resistance? financed by the Danish Pig Levy Fund. Vibeke Bjerre-Harp?th from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is acknowledged for providing access to expert opinion from the local meat inspection personnel and for comments to the manuscript. Similarly, Kirsten Kirkeby from Danish Crown is acknowledged for providing expert opinion and information about handling of bile contamination. Funding Information: The Abattoir Company Danish Crown is acknowledged for providing access to the gall bladders. The laboratory technicians and the head of laboratory, Pia Below Andersen, at Danish Crown's laboratory in Horsens are acknowledged for analysing the samples. The study was part of the project “Salmonella action plan for pigs and pig meat, zoonoses and resistance” financed by the Danish Pig Levy Fund. Vibeke Bjerre-Harpøth from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is acknowledged for providing access to expert opinion from the local meat inspection personnel and for comments to the manuscript. Similarly, Kirsten Kirkeby from Danish Crown is acknowledged for providing expert opinion and information about handling of bile contamination. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2022/1

Y1 - 2022/1

N2 - In the European Union (EU), Salmonella is the main zoonotic hazard of interest in pig meat. Contamination occurs during slaughter mainly due to spread of faecal material. In 2020, the Danish competent authorities (CA) raised the question of the risk to humans of Salmonella resulting from bile contamination of pig carcasses. To address this, a study was undertaken involving 1) a pilot study to develop an aseptic way of collecting bile and 2) 299 gall bladder samples collected from finishing pigs from 28 pig herds. The samples were subjected to standard laboratory analysis and none were positive for Salmonella. A simulation model was set up using the collected data, plus data from the Danish meat inspection database as well as expert opinion, retrieved from the CA and the food business operator (FBO). The objective was to estimate the number of carcasses contaminated with Salmonella from bile that could be overlooked if responsibility for handling bile contamination were to rest solely with the FBO. The basic scenario showed that a median of nine (90% C.I.: 0–53) carcasses would be overlooked in a production of 16 million finishing pigs in one year, whereas 103 carcasses (90% C.I.: 7–544) would be overlooked in the worst-case scenario. Compared to the current Salmonella programme, the median relative efficacy of focusing on bile-contamination to detect Salmonella was 0.008% (basic scenario) or 0.087% (worst-case scenario). In conclusion, the risk to human health associated with Salmonella in bile on finishing pig carcasses was calculated to be negligible. Moreover, the FBO's handling of bile contamination prevents bile-contaminated carcasses from leaving the abattoir.

AB - In the European Union (EU), Salmonella is the main zoonotic hazard of interest in pig meat. Contamination occurs during slaughter mainly due to spread of faecal material. In 2020, the Danish competent authorities (CA) raised the question of the risk to humans of Salmonella resulting from bile contamination of pig carcasses. To address this, a study was undertaken involving 1) a pilot study to develop an aseptic way of collecting bile and 2) 299 gall bladder samples collected from finishing pigs from 28 pig herds. The samples were subjected to standard laboratory analysis and none were positive for Salmonella. A simulation model was set up using the collected data, plus data from the Danish meat inspection database as well as expert opinion, retrieved from the CA and the food business operator (FBO). The objective was to estimate the number of carcasses contaminated with Salmonella from bile that could be overlooked if responsibility for handling bile contamination were to rest solely with the FBO. The basic scenario showed that a median of nine (90% C.I.: 0–53) carcasses would be overlooked in a production of 16 million finishing pigs in one year, whereas 103 carcasses (90% C.I.: 7–544) would be overlooked in the worst-case scenario. Compared to the current Salmonella programme, the median relative efficacy of focusing on bile-contamination to detect Salmonella was 0.008% (basic scenario) or 0.087% (worst-case scenario). In conclusion, the risk to human health associated with Salmonella in bile on finishing pig carcasses was calculated to be negligible. Moreover, the FBO's handling of bile contamination prevents bile-contaminated carcasses from leaving the abattoir.

KW - Bile

KW - Contamination

KW - Food safety

KW - Risk assessment

KW - Salmonella

U2 - 10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108415

DO - 10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108415

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85110128867

VL - 131

JO - Food Control

JF - Food Control

SN - 0956-7135

M1 - 108415

ER -