Salmonella spp.
Salmonella spp. is found in the stools of infected
individuals (human and animals), which can affect shellfish
harvesting areas through faecal contamination of watercourses. Most
salmonellae bacteria can cause food poisoning (gastroenteritis) in
humans that consume contaminated shellfish, and the resulting
illness can be more severe than that induced by norovirus.
No single method has been found to be suitable for the detection
of Salmonella spp. in all foods however ISO 6579
- Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -
Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella
spp. has been shown to be suitable for bivalve molluscs.
ISO 6579 is stipulated in EU Regulations as the
reference method for salmonellae for official control testing.
The method involves pre-enrichment in buffered 1% peptone water,
followed by enrichment in Muller-Kauffmann tetrathionate broth
containing novobiocin and Rappaport Vasiliadis soya peptone
broth.
Presumptive salmonellae are identified on two selective agar
media (xylose lysine desoxycholate agar and a medium of the
laboratory's choice). Biochemical screening on triple-sugar iron
agar, in conjunction with urease media, is then used. The presence
of Salmonella spp. is confirmed using biochemical and
serological characterisation tests.
An end-product standard requiring the absence of
Salmonella spp. in 25g of shellfish flesh is specified
under Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 on the microbiological criteria
for live bivalve shellfish as foodstuffs.
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