Study of the transfer of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli during the slaughter of cattle using molecular typing combined with epidemiologic data

Xueqing Jiang; Yimin Zhang; George-John E Nychas; Lixian Zhu; Yanwei Mao; Ke Li; Xiaoyin Yang; Xin Luo; Pengcheng Dong

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109378

Study of the transfer of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli during the slaughter of cattle using molecular typing combined with epidemiologic data

Meat Sci. 2024 Feb:208:109378. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109378. Epub 2023 Nov 2.

Authors

Xueqing Jiang¹, Yimin Zhang², George-John E Nychas³, Lixian Zhu¹, Yanwei Mao¹, Ke Li⁴, Xiaoyin Yang¹, Xin Luo¹, Pengcheng Dong⁵

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Beef Processing and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, PR China; National R&D Center for Beef Processing Technology, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, PR China.
² Laboratory of Beef Processing and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, PR China; National R&D Center for Beef Processing Technology, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, PR China. Electronic address: ymzhang@sdau.edu.cn.
³ Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology of Foods, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Athens 11855, Greece.
⁴ Henan Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Quality and Safety Control, College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
⁵ Laboratory of Beef Processing and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, PR China; National R&D Center for Beef Processing Technology, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, PR China. Electronic address: pcdong@sdau.edu.cn.

PMID: 37952270
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109378

Abstract

Investigation on the distribution and biological characteristics of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) during beef processing is essential for in-plant critical control points and food safety risk assessment. Serogroups and subtypes of stx genes of STEC strains isolated from beef processing lines were first investigated. Identification to cross-contamination among different sampling sites was further conducted by combining multilocus sequence typing (MLST) with the previous distribution and characterization data. The PCR-positive rate for STEC in 435 samples from two slaughter plants in China was 14.3% and the isolation rate for the 62 PCR positive and the entire set of 435 samples were 26% and 3.68% respectively. The existence of serotype O157:H7 (33%) and serogroups O121 (42%) and O26 (21%) as well as the high detection rate of high pathogenic gene stx_2a (68%) in these serogroups indicated potential risk to the safety of beef. Traceability analysis showed that hide plays a critical role in cross-contamination between feces, lairage pens and post-washing carcasses from a molecular perspective. Intervening measures revolves around de-hiding should be involved in the in-plant safety control policy according to the tracing analysis.

Keywords: Beef; Prevalence; Serotype; Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli; Traceability; Virulence genes.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cattle
Escherichia coli Infections* / veterinary
Escherichia coli Proteins* / genetics
Feces
Food Contamination / analysis
Food Microbiology
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Serogroup
Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli* / genetics

Substances

Escherichia coli Proteins