Could food or food contact surfaces be the favourable hideouts for Listeria monocytogenes in Perak, Malaysia?
2021
Chen, S. N. | Yap, M. L. | Kuan, C. H. | Son, R. | Saw, S. H.
Listeria monocytogenes is a causative agent of foodborne listeriosis which causes a high rate of hospitalisation (>90%) and death (20-30%) worldwide. Due to its ubiquitous nature and high resistance to a stressful environment, L. monocytogenes is able to multiply to a threatening level during food processing, distribution and storage, which then causes an immense case of foodborne disease outbreak. Hence, the control of L. monocytogenes is required at all stages in the food chain to prevent its occurrence in the final product. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in food as well as food contact surfaces from food processing plants and food service premises located in Perak, Malaysia. A total number of 170 food samples, including raw, minimally processed, processed and ready-to-eat food, as well as 152 samples from surfaces, including food-contact and non-food-contact, were collected and isolated on culture, and confirmation was done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 26 food samples (15.29%) were positive for L. monocytogenes, with the highest prevalence found in processed and minimally processed food at 33.33% and 31.25%, respectively; following by raw and ready-to-eat food at 26.32% and 4.26% respectively. On the other hand, a higher prevalence of L. monocytogenes was detected from food-contact surfaces at 11.83% compared to non-food contact surfaces at 6.78%. These findings demonstrated the potential risk of contamination by L. monocytogenes in food and it might be due to the exposure of the bacteria on food processing surfaces. Thus, regular surveillance and strict assessment should be conducted by the local authorities to ensure the safety of the food consumption for residents in Perak.
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