Vulnerable groups in Germany have been advised not to eat a type of raw meat spread after testing revealed the presence of pathogens.
The Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) reported on results from the sampling of seasoned ground (minced) meat, fresh pork and beef, and cantaloupe melons.
As part of monitoring activities in 2023, 318 samples of seasoned ground pork for raw consumption were tested. This included mett, also known as hackepeter, which is a raw meat spread. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) was detected in 11 samples. Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium was also found on one occasion.
Ground meat for raw consumption should always be consumed soon after purchase. Consumers need to follow the use-by date and store it correctly. Sensitive consumer groups, such as small children, the elderly and immunocompromised people or pregnant women, were advised not to eat raw ground meat.
STEC was also detected in six of 377 tests on fresh pork in retail stores. Two of 76 samples of fresh beef taken from border control posts were positive for E. coli. No positives were reported from cantaloupe melons tested at retailers.
A total of 271 of 324 isolates could be assigned to an O serogroup. In total, 47 different serogroups were identified. O100 and O8 were the most common while O157 was detected in seven isolates.
Salmonella findings
Salmonella was detected in 12 of 315 samples of fresh pork from cutting plants and three of 381 pork samples in retail stores were positive. A significant proportion of Salmonella-positive samples came from a single cutting plant. This influenced the detection rate of Salmonella in pork. Findings indicate major hygiene deficiencies in this plant.
It was not detected in samples of fresh beef taken at border control posts or in beef from retail outlets. From tests on the skin of cantaloupe, one positive was found but no Salmonella was detected when fruit flesh was sampled.
A total of 66 isolates were available for typing. These belonged to 18 serovars. The most common types were Salmonella Typhimurium, including its monophasic variant, and Salmonella Derby. No Salmonella Enteritidis was found.
Results from other pathogens
Listeria monocytogenes was detected in 31 of 311 samples of fresh pork from cutting plants and in five of 318 samples of cooked sausage and cured pork products taken from manufacturing plants of ready-to-eat pork products.
Using the quantitative method, Listeria monocytogenes was detected in three of 324 samples of fresh pork from cutting plants and in two of 314 samples of seasoned ground pork for raw consumption in retail. No samples showed bacterial counts above the detection limit of 10 CFU/g.
Out of 317 samples of seasoned ground pork taken from retail outlets, 36 were positive. No samples of fresh pork and seasoned ground pork had bacterial counts above 100 CFU/g.
Overall, 26 of 319 samples of smoked salmon in retail stores were positive for Listeria. Using the quantitative method, Listeria monocytogenes was detected in two samples. One sample had a germ count of 170 CFU/g, which is above the limit of 100 CFU/g. Listeria was not detected in any of the melon samples examined.
The contamination rate of fresh pork in retail stores with Campylobacter was one of 378 samples. No samples of seasoned ground pork for raw consumption or fresh beef were positive.
Vibrio was detected in four of six shrimp larvae and in five of six adult shrimp from aquaculture farms. Nineteen isolates from eight samples were sent for further typing and seven belonged to Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
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