Hazard prevention, risk assessment and practical advice/recommendations by experts for educational purpose

Dear reader, Food safety is from highest importance in our food consumption and producing system. It poses as an elemental prerequisite for the daily working procedures in every food producing or food processing operation. For this reason within the European Union, the Codex Alimentarius commission developed the well known HACCP concept. Its purpose is to establish safety measures on every step of the food value chain and to guarantees a high level of safety. This handbooks gives advice and provides examples and explanations on several topics of this system-based concept with focus on the implementation of this system within the organic food production. It contains the theoretical background of food safety in organic food production and is part of the SAFE-ORG food-project, funded by the European Union. SAFE-ORG Food is an international project within the Erasmus Plus programme. Five universities are working together in order to combine, research and collect scientific findings regarding the food safety in organic food production. The aim of the project is to improve the availability of good, understandable and helpful educational material on organic food safety. We hope to create an positive impact for the safe production of organic food in Europe and to support the stakeholders of the organic food sector within their daily work.Funded by ERASMUS+Funded by ERASMUS

Harnessing nature’s defence: the antimicrobial efficacy of pasteurised cattle milk-derived extracellular vesicles on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923

Increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges conventional antibiotics, prompting the search for alternatives. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from pasteurised cattle milk offer promise, due to their unique properties. This study investigates their efficacy against five pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, aiming to combat AMR and to develop new therapies. EVs were characterised and tested using various methods. Co-culture experiments with S. aureus showed significant growth inhibition, with colony-forming units decreasing from 2.4 × 105 CFU/mL (single dose) to 7.4 × 104 CFU/mL (triple doses) after 12 h. Milk EVs extended lag time (6 to 9 h) and increased generation time (2.8 to 4.8 h) dose-dependently, compared to controls. In conclusion, milk EVs exhibit dose-dependent inhibition against S. aureus, prolonging lag and generation times. Despite limitations, this suggests their potential in addressing AMR

Ohtude ennetamine, riskihindamine ja ekspertide õppeotstarbelised praktilised soovitused

Lp. lugeja, Toiduohutus on toidu tootmise, töötlemise ja tarbimise süsteemis kõige olulisem. See on igapäevaste tööprotse põhieeldus igas toidutootmis ja –töötlemistegevuses. Sel põhjusel töötas Codex Alimentarius ́e komisjon Euroopa Liidus välja hästi tuntud HACCP kontseptsiooni, mille eesmärgiks on toidu väärtusahela erinevates etappides kõrgel tasemel toiduohutuse meetmete rakendamine. Käesolev käsiraamat annab nõuandeid ja näiteid ning selgitusi selle süsteemipõhise kontseptsiooni erinevatel teemadel, keskendudes selle süsteemi rakendamisele mahetoidu tootmises. See sisaldab toiduohutuse teoreetilist tausta mahetoidu tootmises ja on osa SAFE-ORG toiduprojektist, mida rahastab Euroopa Liit. SAFE-ORG Food on Erasmus Plus programmi rahvusvaheline projekt.SAFE-ORG Food on Erasmus Plus programmi rahvusvaheline projekt. Viis ülikooli teevad koostööd, et kombineerida, uurida ja koguda toiduohutuse alaste teadusuuringute tulemusi mahetoidu tootmises. Projekti eesmärk on parandada kõrgetasemega, arusaadava ja abistava õppematerjali kättesaadavust tootjatele ja õppejõududele. Loodame avaldada positiivset mõju ohutu mahetoidu tootmisele Euroopas ning toetada mahetoitu tootvaid ettevõtteid nende igapäevatöös.Rahastas ERASMUS+Rahastas ERASMUS

Food chain information in the European pork industry: Where are we?

Background: The European General Food Law (Regulation No 178/2002) declares that risk analysis should be the basis of food legislation to achieve a high level of protection of human health. Concerning meat safety, the food chain information (FCI) set down by Regulation No 853/2004 is a very important tool that is required for animals admitted to slaughter. To properly integrate FCI, harmonised epidemiological indicators (HEIs) have been proposed by EFSA for high priority risks and risks that might emerge in the future. Scope and approach: In the pig meat chain, the HEIs within meat inspection cover Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Toxoplasma gondii, Trichinella spp., Taenia solium and mycobacteria. Nevertheless, ten years after the HEIs specification were published, only two biological hazards (Trichinella and Salmonella) are included in official control programs in the EU countries. While Trichinella monitoring is mandatory, Salmonella control plans have been implemented by some countries only. Key findings and conclusions: In countries where Salmonella in pigs is monitored at farm level, the status of the farm is described in the FCI. This information is crucial for the risk manager to organise slaughter operations and implement hygienic measures, as well as for the competent authorities to properly follow inspection procedures and additional controls according to Regulation No 2019/627. Since FCI needs to enable forward and backward flow of information on animal and public health hazards between all operators involved in pig husbandry and pig meat production, its implementation with HEIs will allow risk-based decision making in food safety

Selenium status in dairy cows and feed samples in Estonia

Introduction: Knowledge about selenium content in Estonian food chain is limited as no systematic selenium study is ever done in Estonia. Aim of our study was to evaluate selenium status in dairy cows and feed samples. Materials and methods: Altogether, 17 commercial dairy herds from 13 Estonian districts were studied. Blood samples from ten cows in each farm were collected. From each farm grain sample was taken. Information about feeding of selenium containing feed supplements and grain origin was asked. Selenium content in grain and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in haemolysed whole blood was analysed. Results and discussion: Mean GPx activity in cows was 92-1204 ŠÌKat/l. Dividing cows into selenium-deficient (GPx¡Ü472 ŠÌkat/L) and non-deficient (GPx>472 ŠÌkat/L) group, it came evident that 66% cows were seleniumdeficient and only 34% of the cows belonged to the non-deficient group. Locally grown grain was used in 10 farms. Selenium content in local grain was below 0.02 mg/kg dw in 6 samples and 0.04-0.12 mg/kg dw in 4 samples. Selenium content in commercial grain was 0.37-0.90 mg/kg dw (n=7). Selenium containing mineral feed was used in 9 farms. Results of our study confirm the presence of selenium-deficiency in plant-animal chain in Estonia. Selenium status in Estonian food chain must be monitored to decide on the most effective way of selenium supplementation.vokMyynti MTT Tietopalvelut 31600 Jokioine

Salmonella enterica prevalence, serotype diversity, antimicrobial resistance and control in the European pork production chain

Background: A risk assessment conducted by EFSA identified Salmonella enterica (Salmonella) as a high-risk hazard at the EU level in the context of meat inspection of swine. Despite pork being considered an important source of S. Typhimurium and its monophasic variant, Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 does not set criteria for specific Salmonella serotypes. Enforcing specific criteria for Salmonella target serotypes could result in a reduction in the prevalence of Salmonella in the pork production chain, as has happened in broiler flocks. Scope and approach: This study gives an overview of Salmonella enterica in the European pork chain, discussing prevalence, serotype diversity, antimicrobial resistance and epidemiological importance during the last 20 years. Additionally, future trends and recommendations regarding control of Salmonella in the European pork production chain are introduced. Key findings and conclusions: The highest proportions of Salmonella-positive samples were observed at the fattening pig farm level, whereas the prevalence of Salmonella on pig carcasses was much lower. Among epidemiologically important serotypes, isolates of S. Typhimurium, and its monophasic variant were found to be resistant to ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin and tetracycline. Future Salmonella control in the pork production chain can preferably be conducted through a risk-based meat safety assurance system. In conclusion, a fit-for-purpose strategy applied to the pork production chain and adapted to the national epidemiological situation can deliver acceptable consumer safety

REPORT ON SCOPE OF MEAT SAFETY ASSURANCE SYSTEM AND COMPETENCIES AND ROLES OF RISK MANAGER

Food safety requires a farm-to-fork approach to be efficient. Among food products, meat represents a complex issue since to reach the market; it requires several processing stages and involves live animals. Within the meat chain, animal health and animal welfare need to be considered with specific competencies. Another complexity is the risks for human health, arising mainly from farms that need to be mitigated along the meat chain. The EU-level risk based meat safety assurance system (RB-MSAS) needs to consider all these characteristics, framing them with appropriate legislation and allowing different food chain contributors to act specifically, according to their roles, with the common aim of delivering safe food to consumers. Starting from current tools, and considering the medium to long term, private RB-MSAS schemes and food chain information are promising tools. Third party assurance schemes can partially offset the need for legal requirements and inspections; uptake of these schemes is higher where they are used to demonstrate compliance with regulation or inspection activities. An assurance scheme that simply mimics the law is unlikely to be able to frame itself as providing additional value to members. Similarly, if all RBMSASs were equal, they could not frame themselves as better than the competition. Therefore, there is a need to identify the aspects in which different private RB-MSASs are equivalent to public RB-MSASs. It would be also helpful to learn if the equivalence is due to having equal requirements to official controls (process-based) or to enabling equivalent results (outcomebased). FCI is a good starting point, but has space for improvement in terms of quality, quantity, effectiveness and ability to reach different actors across the production chain. FCI should exploit the potential of innovative information technologies to pair traceability and safety data, making them available to different private and public actors along the chain. Key components will be the two-way exchange of information between the primary producer and FBO as well as the availability of the FCI outside of the abattoirs

Monomorphic genotypes within a generalist lineage of Campylobacter jejuni show signs of global dispersion

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Health based animal and meat safety cooperative communities

The purposes of meat inspection have been formulated for more than 100 years as (a) protecting health of consumers, (b) maintain the reputation of the meats in home and export markets, and (c) detecting communicable diseases of animals before they have spread beyond easy control. Today, one would add to protect animal welfare, clarify that protecting consumer health includes both chemical and biological hazards, and add food fraud to the issues of reputation. To transform the scientific knowledge into modern meat safety assurance systems (MSAS), the risk managers need to understand the social capital in the meat value chain to align the behaviors of farmers, food business operators and competent authorities with technical knowledge. The meat value chain could be perceived as a commons – a material or immaterial property held jointly by the members of a community, whom may govern access to and use of the property through social structures, traditions, and/or formal rules i.e. social capital. The social capital and food safety culture amongst farmers and food business operators is a key driver for successful meat safety while information asymmetry increases risks for a tragedy of commons scenario. Ostrom's core design principles for stable commons could inform the design of MSASs. Tools for reducing the information asymmetry and building trust and social capital between all stakeholders within the meat value chain include the food safety culture, food chain information, use of health epidemiological indicators, sensors and block chains, industry/private standards, and the applying system approach from farm to fork

A comparison of European surveillance programs for campylobacter in broilers

Campylobacter is an important foodborne pathogen as it is associated with significant disease burden across Europe. Among various sources, Campylobacter infections in humans are often related to the consumption of undercooked poultry meat or improper handling of poultry meat. Many European countries have implemented measures to reduce human exposure to Campylobacter from broiler meat. In this paper, surveillance programs implemented in some European countries is summarized. Our findings reveal that many European countries test neck skin samples for Campylobacter as per the Process Hygiene Criterion (PHC) set by the European Regulation. Variations to the legal plan are seen in some countries, as in Norway and Iceland, where weekly sampling is performed during infection peak periods only, or in Iceland, where the Campylobacter limit is set at 500 CFU/g instead of 1000 CFU/g. Furthermore, northern European countries have implemented national Campylobacter surveillance plans. Denmark tests cloaca and leg skin samples at the slaughterhouses and meat samples at the retail, while Finland, Norway, and Sweden test caeca at slaughterhouses. In contrast, Iceland tests feces on farms. Iceland and Norway test flocks close to the slaughter date and when a farm tests positive, competent authority implement measures such as logistic slaughter, heat treatment or freeze the meat from these flocks. In Iceland, frozen meat is further processed prior to being put on the market. While the incidence of campylobacteriosis has declined in all European countries except France since the introduction of PHC in 2018, it is uncertain whether this decrease is due to prevalence reduction or underreporting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future investigations with more comprehensive data, devoid of potential confounding factors, are necessary to validate this potential trend. However, it is evident that the implementation of national action plans can be successful in reducing the incidence of human campylobacteriosis, as demonstrated by Iceland