Publications

@article{https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.e181106,

title = {Modelling and magnitude estimation of cross-contamination in the kitchen for quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA)},

author = {Maria Francesca Iulietto and Eric G Evers},

url = {https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.e181106},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.e181106},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-01-01},

journal = {EFSA Journal},

volume = {18},

number = {S1},

pages = {e181106},

abstract = {Abstract In the kitchen of the consumer, two main transmission routes are relevant for quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA): the cross-contamination route, where a pathogen on a food product may evade heating by transmission via hands, kitchen utensils and other surfaces, e.g. to non-contaminated products to be consumed raw; and the heating route, where pathogens remain on the food product and are for the most part inactivated through heating. This project was undertaken to model and estimate the magnitude of cross-contamination in the domestic environment. Scientific information from the relevant literature was collected and analyzed, to define the cross-contamination routes, to describe the variability sources and to extract and harmonise the transfer fractions to be included as model parameters. The model was used to estimate the relative impact of the cross-contamination routes for different scenarios. In addition, the effectiveness of several interventions in reducing the risk of food-borne diseases due to cross-contamination was investigated. The outputs of the model showed that the cutting board route presents a higher impact compared to other routes and replacement of the kitchen utensils is more effective than other interventions investigated; the transfer to other surfaces and objects, which can house bacteria in the environment, is also described. Laboratory cross-contamination trials have been performed to estimate bacterial transfer via cutting, from the external surface of the meat to the cutting surfaces and to the knife. The results, obtained from the laboratory trials, show magnitudes of and differences in the bacterial transfer fraction to the knife and the cutting surface in relation to which side of the meat is contaminated. Despite the complexity of factors which influence bacterial transfer, the combination of laboratory work with mathematical modelling enhanced scientific understanding and appreciation of the uncertainty of the estimates. QMRA methodology results in magnitude estimation of cross-contamination in the kitchen and evaluation of intervention strategies.},

keywords = {cross-contamination, food-borne pathogens, QMRA, risk assessment},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.e160811,

title = {Risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance along the food chain through culture-independent methodologies},

author = {E Likotrafiti and EA Oniciuc and M Prieto and JA Santos and S López and A Alvarez-Ordóñez},

url = {https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.e160811},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.e160811},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {EFSA Journal},

volume = {16},

number = {S1},

pages = {e160811},

abstract = {Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a major challenge for Public Health and the scientific community, and requires immediate and drastic solutions. Acquired resistance to certain antimicrobials is already widespread to such an extent that their efficacy in the treatment of certain life-threatening infections is already compromised. To date, the emergence and spread of AMR has been attributed to the use, misuse or indiscriminate use of antibiotics as therapeutic drugs in human, animal and plant health, or as growth promoters in veterinary husbandry. In addition, there is growing concern over the possibility of AMR transmission via the food chain. Food processing environments could act as potential hotspots for AMR acquisition and spread. Indeed, biocide use and exposure to food-related stresses and food processing technologies could presumably act as selection pressures for increased microbial resistance against clinically relevant antibiotics. Global AMR surveillance is critical for providing the necessary information to form global strategies and to monitor the effectiveness of public health interventions as well as to detect new trends and emerging threats. Surveillance of AMR is currently based on the isolation of indicator microorganisms and the phenotypic characterisation of the strains isolated. However, this approach provides very limited information on the mechanisms driving AMR or on the presence and spread of AMR genes. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of bacterial pathogens is a powerful tool that can be used for epidemiological surveillance, outbreak detection and infection control. In addition, whole metagenome sequencing (WMS) allows for the culture-independent analysis of complex microbial communities, providing useful information on the occurrence of AMR genes. Both approaches can be used to provide the information necessary for the implementation of quantitative risk assessment of AMR transmission routes along the food chain.},

keywords = {Antimicrobial resistance, food-borne pathogens, metagenomics, risk assessment, surveillance, whole genome sequencing},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}