Q. Do you work in food safety?
Q. Are you involved in microbiological testing of food samples for foodborne pathogens?
Read the latest scientific article by OHEJP OH-HARMONY-CAP Project published in Frontiers in Food Safety and Technology journal.
This study provided insight into current practices of microbiological sampling and analyses performed in food business operators’ HACCP-based self-control programmes. Information was gathered from questionnaire results obtained from 35 laboratories in EU/EEA countries focused on six bacterial and five parasitic foodborne pathogens.
Some key findings included:
1) Dairy products were analysed most frequently, and most laboratories analysed both ready-to-eat and non-ready-to-eat products.
2) Laboratories analysing Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes processed most samples.
3) Around 60% of laboratories used multiple typing or characterisation methods.
4) Whole Genome Sequencing and participation in External Quality Assessment programmes were variably used across labs.
This research showed that further efforts are needed for the harmonisation of analytical protocols and characterisation of foodborne pathogens.
Congratulations to scientists at Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR), Statens Serum Institut (SSI) and the Biology Department of the Swedish Food Agency.
Aybar Espinoza, M. S., Flink, C., Boisen, N., Scheutz, F. and Käsbohrer, A. (2023). Microbiological sampling and analyses in the food business operators’ HACCP based self-control programmes. Frontiers in Food Science and Technology. 3, 1110359.
Read this research article here. Find out more about JIP OH-HARMONY-CAP on our website.
