Publications

@article{https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.e181103,

title = {Training in tools to develop Quantitative Risk Assessment using Spanish ready-to-eat food examples},

author = {Leonidas Georgalis and Alberto Garre and Pablo S Fernandez Escamez},

url = {https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.e181103},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.e181103},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-01-01},

journal = {EFSA Journal},

volume = {18},

number = {S1},

pages = {e181103},

abstract = {Abstract Unsafe food poses global health threats, potentially endangering consumers. The great majority of people will experience a food-borne disease at some point in their lives. Ready-to-eat (RTE) food is the one intended by the producer or the manufacturer for direct human consumption without the need for cooking or other processing effective to eliminate or reduce the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms. Prepared foods are often complex and may contain multiple components that make them vulnerable for growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Among all the pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in RTE foods, Listeria monocytogenes is of special interest because it is the causative agent of listeriosis and it has the ability to survive and replicate at refrigeration and low pH conditions. We performed a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) in RTE dry-fermented sausage to measure the risk of listeriosis associated to the consumption of this product. The starting point of our investigation was the storage at the factory, after the end-product was produced and before distribution to retail. The stochastic model was implemented in MicroHibro, an online tool for QMRA. Because L. monocytogenes concentration and prevalence can vary greatly between different studies and different types of fermented sausages, we tested different scenarios to show the importance of low prevalence and concentration of the pathogen at the final product. Our results show that the risk estimates are very sensitive to the modelling hypotheses used to describe this process. Therefore, the development of accurate probabilistic models describing the initial concentration of L. monocytogenes shall largely reduce the uncertainty associated to the QMRA of listeriosis in this type of product.},

keywords = {food safety, Listeria monocytogenes, QMRA, risk assessment, RTE meat},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.e170906,

title = {Quantitative risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes in a traditional RTE product},

author = {Chrystalleni Hadjicharalambous and Luca Grispoldi and Beniamino Cenci Goga},

url = {https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.e170906},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.e170906},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-01-01},

journal = {EFSA Journal},

volume = {17},

number = {S2},

pages = {e170906},

abstract = {Abstract Ready to Eat (RTE) cooked meat products are among the most consumed RTE food subcategories in the EU. They are also associated with the highest number of listeriosis cases per year. Contamination with Listeria monocytogenes may arise from post-processing and its growth is often supported by the pH and water activity of the product. L. monocytogenes may grow during refrigeration and reach unacceptable levels at the time of consumption, posing a public health risk. The aim of this study was to conduct a Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) of L. monocytogenes in a traditional Italian RTE cooked meat product. Data for the risk assessment included prevalence and concentration of the microorganism, temperature-time conditions during transport and storage, information on the growth of the microorganism and its potential for disease (dose–response). These data were obtained from laboratory analysis of product samples (n = 50), a consumer survey (n = 160), recordings of temperatures of domestic refrigerators (n = 60) and were complemented with information from the literature. The data were described with appropriate probability distributions and introduced into a previously described growth model of L. monocytogenes. Based on the above components, a probabilistic model was created to evaluate the growth of L. monocytogenes at each stage of the product pathway (retail storage, transportation and domestic storage) using Monte Carlo simulations. The model design for this pathogen/food product combination, alongside with the findings of the study are included in a separate publication (manuscript under preparation). The results may help risk managers to apply appropriate control measures to minimise the public health risk. The project contributed to further education of the fellow, especially in the use of QMRA risk analysis tools and laid the foundations for future collaborations between the fellow's home institution, the University of Crete, Greece and the University of Perugia, Italy.},

keywords = {head cheese, Listeria monocytogenes, QMRA, risk assessment, RTE meat},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}