SP 1.3

Titel:

Hygiene and food safety

Scientific Co-ordinator:

Prof. Dr. Reinhard Böhm, Universität Hohenheim Prof. Dr. Günter Klein, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover

Institutions involved:

Institute for Environmental and Animal Hygiene and Veterinary medicine, Universität Hohenheim Institute of Food Quality and Food Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover

Staff:

Dr.med.vet. Werner Philipp, Universität Hohenheim Muhammed Yilmaz, Universität Hohenheim Dr. Ute Körner, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover

Aim of the Sub-project:

To establish the hygiene measurements at the hygiene control level and the procedures to be used for every production stage in the meat production value chain.

Sections of the Sub-project:

SP 1.3.1: Pork - Salmonella spp (Universität Hohenheim)
SP 1.3.2: Poultry - Campylobacter spp./Tetracycline (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover)

Research:

SP 1.3.1: Pork - Salmonella spp (Universität Hohenheim)
The University of Hohenheim is in responsible for the research into the subject of Salmonella monitoring in the primary production portion of the value chain.
Several possible points of origin of Salmonella enterica in the pig fattening stage will be inspected. External sources, including the pigs themselves, feed stuffs, biotic and abiotic vectors including rodents, birds, arthropods, drinking water and dust, will be examined.
The present methods for detecting Salmonella in feed stuffs and pig dung were already summarized in the first part of this project. In the next step we will establish a comparison of the different methodologies first in the laboratory, and then in practical situations.
The methods to be developed will lead to an improvement in the analysis methodology for feed stuffs and animal dung to detect Salmonella contamination.
The methods for the verification of hygiene concerns during pig finishing will be checked in laboratory assays, followed by validation in practical situations.
In this way, it will be possible for the farmer and the slaughter facility administrations to have an efficient means of control of hygienic methods in all production stages, based on HACCP concepts.
According to Salmonella-monitoring it will also be possible to carry out an Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) monitoring for cattle.

SP 1.3.1: Pork - Salmonella spp (Universität Hohenheim)
The Institute of Food Quality and Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, will examine the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in turkey and turkey meat.
Campylobacter can lead to severe diarrhoea in humans. More cases are reported during the summer than at other times of the year. The main route of infection is via food with raw milk and poultry meat being the most important sources of infection. Infection is more likely to occur with deficient cooking times. In Germany the reported Campylobacter infections overtook the number of Salmonella infections in 2005.
The germ is found often in the gut of poultry without clinical signs of infection present in the animals.
The research will include an examination of the living turkey and different stages in the slaughter process, as well as the end product. Special attention will be given to determine whether the contamination occurs during slaughter and cutting.
The aim of the present study is to present a HACCP concept for control and combat of the Campylobacter problem.
Furthermore, turkey samples will also be examined for tetracycline residues. Tetracyclines are broad-spectrum antibiotics and are rarely used in human medicine because of their resistance profile. It is still used in food production in large amounts for many different treatments. Tetracyclines accumulate in bones because of their chemical reaction with calcium, and remain there past the withdrawal period. The residues in bones will be compared with muscle samples.

Publications:

2008

Reich, F.; Atanassova, V.; Haunhorst, E.; Klein, G.(2008) : The effects of Campylobacter numbers in caeca on the contamination of broiler carcasses with Campylobacter. In: International journal of food microbiology 127/1-2. S. 116-120.

2007

Atanassova, V.; Reich, F.; Beckmann, L.; Klein, G. (2007): Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in turkey meat from a slaughterhouse and in turkey meat retail products. In: FEMS immunology and microbiology 49, 1 (2007) 141-145. ISSN 1574-695X

Klein, G., Reich, F., Peters, U., Al-Masri, A. N., Upmann, M., Langen, M., Atanassova, V. (2007): Detektive im Schachthof: Auf der Spur von Campylobacter. In: Forschung fürs Leben 2006 (2007) 15-18. ISSN 0947-0956

Langen, M., Peters, U., Upmann, M., Klein, G. (2007): Genotypisierung von Campylobacter spp. in der Lebensmittelkette. In: Rundschau für Fleischhygiene und Lebensmittelüberwachung 58, 9 (2007) 354-355. ISSN 0178-2010

Associated Partners:

Hannover: Poultry economy