Qualitative risk assessment to support a policy decision on partially eviscerated (effilé) poultry production

Partially-eviscerated (also described as effilé, effileé, roped, partly eviscerated, partially drawn, wire drawn or Boston drawn) poultry are produced by removing the intestines from the poultry carcass but leaving the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard inside the body cavity (as defined in Regulation (EC) 543/2008). Regulation (EC) 853/2004 allows production of partially-eviscerated poultry, provided it is authorised by the competent authority. The overall aim of this project was to carry out a risk assessment of partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry production (poultry with the heart, liver, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard left inside the body cavity) with a view to considering whether the risks of partially-eviscerated poultry production can be managed to an acceptable level such that the practice could be authorised in the UK. To achieve this aim the project had four Objectives: Objective 1, an initial risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain together with a review of all relevant and appropriate literature/company information relating to the control of partially-eviscerated poultry production; Objective 2, an industrial survey of current production of partially-eviscerated poultry; Objective 3, a series of short practical evaluations of any processes where further data was required; Objective 4, a full analysis of all the data and findings of Objectives 1 to 3 and the production of the final project report. The literature review found that documentation on the production of partially-eviscerated poultry was scarce and not comprehensive. However, it highlighted the important points for risk assessment and identified a reason for the development of partial-evisceration processing, i.e. the prevention of “greening” during storage due to the removal of the intestines. The review of current post-mortem inspection of poultry concluded that of the twenty one conditions that are currently looked for during post-mortem inspection of poultry, the majority of these conditions do not pose a risk to public health. Seven conditions were considered to be of concern to public health (Ascites/oedema, Cellulitis, Contamination, Hepatitis, Pericarditis, Perihepatitis/peritonitis, Respiratory disease (airsacculitis)). It was concluded that only four of those seven conditions (hepatitis, pericarditis, perihepatitis/peritonitis, and respiratory disease (air sacculitis)) may not be identified during post-mortem inspection of partially-eviscerated poultry. Their public health significance was considered to be as indicators of the presence of enteric microbial pathogens rather than any inherent pathology of the conditions. Data on condemnations show that the rates of condemnations for these conditions are very low. In addition, these conditions should be clearly identifiable by the end user of the poultry during preparation of the carcass for cooking. Therefore, in our opinion, it is unlikely that the consumer would ingest such infected viscera. Four French plants and two UK plants were visited during the industrial survey. Although there was a commonality in the practices employed at all of the plants, differences were found between the plants, particularly in the specific method used to remove the intestines from the carcasses in order to produce the product. Four main methods have been identified that can be used to partially eviscerate poultry, three are manual, one is mechanical. The only UK plant currently producing partially-eviscerated poultry, skinned the whole carcass with its feathers on. Partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry report 3 of 166 Due to the lack of data on the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated poultry a series of short targeted experimental evaluations were carried out to: (1) investigate the difference in chilling time between partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses; (2) investigate any difference between the growth of microorganisms on partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage; (3) investigate the growth of microorganisms in the organs of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage. These studies showed: (1) due to the presence of warm internal organs partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses are warmer than eviscerated carcasses at the start of chilling and the rate of cooling of partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses is slower than that of similar eviscerated carcasses; (2) there was no significant difference between the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage; (3) ACC, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, coliform and Escherichia coli counts were all shown to be capable of increasing in/on the heart, crop, feet, gizzard, cavity, skin and liver of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage. A critical review of all available relevant and appropriate literature and data was carried out, supplemented by a survey of current industrial practice and a practical evaluation of processes, to form a risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain. This risk assessment considered: 1. What abnormalities may not be identified in partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production; 2. Whether the risk of zoonotic pathogens are any greater for partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production; 3. The aetiology of those conditions; 4. The public health implications of those conditions and of allowing partially-eviscerated poultry into the food supply

Impact of food hazards in school meals on students' health, academic work and finance – Senior High School students' report from Ashanti Region of Ghana

The study investigated the types of food hazards, the incidences and effect of foodborne diseases (FBD) in Senior Secondary Schools in Ghana. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 boarding school level 1 and 2 students from 45 sampled public schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and analysed with SPSS Version 21. Stones and insects in food received the highest complaints alongside food allergy and intolerance. Out of 180 students, 51.7% had experienced FBD with 21.1% of these reporting to health centers within their 1–2 years in school. FBD incidence rate was 3–12 times per academic year and 12% of the students had been absent from active academic work for as long as 5 days due to FBD with 10% spending between GHC 30.00 → 50.00 on medication per each episode. Students recommended improved GHP including standard cleaning procedures, food temperature control, available hand washing facilities with detergents at the dining halls and kitchens. Mandatory requirement of routine hygiene and food safety training for food handlers was required in schools with heightened monitoring, surveillance and law enforcement on acceptable practices. Supplier control across the food chain to reduce physical and chemical contaminants in agro products and food vendor's access control was required. Improving the quality and variety of school meals could also reduce dependence on other sources for food and help in controlling food safety risks. There was a need to increase awareness on the appropriate channels to report FBD incidence in schools for effective control measures and infection treatment

Morphometric Analysis of some Species in the Genus Vigna (L.) Walp: Implication for Utilization for Genetic Improvement

The genus Vigna (L.) Walp is a large cosmopolitan leguminous genus comprising both cultivated and wild species. Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Cowpea) is an important food legume that is widely cultivated in the tropics, but its production and storage are hampered by insect pests. The present study evaluated the intra-and inter-specific morphological variabilities among 20 accessions of six Vigna species, comprising wild and cultivated species. The species are Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp, V. vexillata (A. Richard), V. oblongifolia (A. Richard), V. ambacensis (Baker), V. luteola (Jacq.) (Bentham) and V. racemosa (G. Don) (Hutch and Dalziel). Thirty-one morphological characters involving qualitative and quantitative vegetative and reproductive traits were used for the evaluation. Multivariate analysis such as Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) were employed to evaluate the intra and inter specific variabilities. The paired-sample T test indicated significant differences among the 20 accessions (p#0.000, df = 19) in their morphometric traits. The relative significant correlation observed among some traits such as pod length, number of locules per pod and number of seeds per pod indicated their closeness and potential for genetic improvement of cowpea. The PCA showed that reproductive traits such as days to 50% flowering (0.984), days to 50% ripe pod (0.993), number of pods per peduncle (0.340) and 100-seed weight (0.132) are the major traits that accounted for the variations among the species. The UPGMA using the average (between groups) segregated the 20 accessions into two main clusters, cluster I (comprising mainly wild Vigna species) and cluster II (comprising both wild and cultivated species). The taxonomic affinities and genetic diversity among the species are of great importance in the utilization of the species for food and nutrition, fodder for ruminant animals, cover crop for rotational farming and more importantly genetic improvement of cowpea

Investigation of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) released as a result of spoilage in whole broccoli, carrots, onions and potatoes with HS-SPME and GC-MS

Vegetable spoilage renders a product undesirable due to changes in sensory characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in the fingerprint of VOC composition that occur as a result of spoilage in broccoli, carrots, onions and potatoes. SPME and GC-MS techniques were used to identify and determine the relative abundance of VOC associated with both fresh and spoilt vegetables. Although a number of similar compounds were detected in varying quantities in the headspace of fresh and spoilt samples, certain compounds which were detected in the headspace of spoilt vegetables were however absent in fresh samples. Analysis of the headspace of fresh vegetables indicated the presence of a variety of alkanes, alkenes and terpenes. Among VOCs identified in the spoilt samples were dimethyl disulphide and dimethyl sulphide in broccoli; Ethyl propanoate and Butyl acetate in carrots; 1-Propanethioland 2-Hexyl-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone in onions; and 2, 3-Butanediol in potatoes. The overall results of this study indicate the presence of VOCs that can serve as potential biomarkers for early detection of quality deterioration and in turn enhance operational and quality control decisions in the vegetable industry

Characterization of Vigna vexillata (L.) Richard from Six African Countries

Vigna vexillata (L.) Richard is a wild relative of cowpea characterized by heavy pubescence of the leaves, stems and pods which could be utilized for genetic improvement of cowpea V unguiculata (L.) Walp. Twenty-six (26) accessions collected from six African countries; Cameroun, Zaire, Ghana, Swaziland, Congo and Nigeria were obtained from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (liT A), Ibadan, Nigeria for morphological and cytological characterizations. Twenty-four morphological characters involving eighteen quantitative and six qualitative characters were used for intra-specific variabilities among the accessions. Young bud flowers were collected at the flowering stage for meiotic and mitotic chromosome behaviour of the accessions. The results showed significant differences among vegetative and floral characters (p::::: 0.000) while pod and seed characters do not show much variability. The high significant correlation among characters such as calyx lobe length, standard petal length and width, peduncle length, days to 50% flowering, days to pod maturity, pod length and width, number of locules per pod, number of seeds per pod, and 1 00-seed weight indicates their suitability for breeding and genetic improvement purposes. The cluster analysis using the UPGMA method segregated the 26 accessions into three main clusters; cluster I (super group of 16 accessions), cluster II (9 accessions) and cluster III (1 isolated accession). All the accessions analysed for cytological relationship presented 2n = 22 chromosomes as previously reported for the genus Vigna. Chromosomes paired as bivalents and regula

A survey of the prevalence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the River Humber on the East Coast of England

Poster presentatio

Environmental distribution and molecular analysis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from the East Coast region of England

Poster presentatio

Antibiotic susceptibility of Vibrio parahaemolyticus: a surveillance study

Poster presentatio

Antibiotic susceptibility of recent environmental Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from the UK

Poster presentatio

Improved detection of environmental Vibrio parahaemolyticus through the use of chromogenic media

Poster presentatio