Whole-Genome Sequencing Analysis of Nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica of Chicken Meat and Human Origin Under Surveillance in Sri Lanka.

A total of 73 nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica isolates, 33 from raw chicken meat and 40 from routine clinical specimens, were collected between 2015 and 2017 from eight cities in Sri Lanka for a pilot study of whole-genome sequencing for Salmonella surveillance. The isolates were characterized by conventional serotyping and whole-genome sequencing. The raw sequenced data were assembled and analyzed to predict Salmonella serotypes, determine sequence type (ST) profiles of genome and plasmid, and identify plasmid replicon sequences and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. The most common serovar isolated from chicken meat was Salmonella enterica serovar Agona of ST13 (n = 16), in contrast to Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis of ST11 (n = 21) in human. Salmonella enterica serovar Corvallis is the only serovar that was overlapping between human and chicken meat. The level of agreement between serotyping and serotype prediction results was 100%. Among the 33 chicken isolates, multidrug resistance (MDR) was observed in five isolates, including two Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky ST314, which harbored six different classes of AMR determinants. Among the 40 human isolates, MDR was detected in two Salmonella enterica serovar Chester (ST2063) isolates containing five different antibiotic classes of AMR determinants. Out of 73 isolates, the only human Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain of ST36 was found to possess extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) gene, blaCTX-M-15, and it was positive for ESBL production. In summary, this study identified S. enterica serovars that were dominating in chicken meat and human and showed the genomic differences among the chicken meat and human strains. It should be noted that the limited number of isolates and sampling at a different time period means that thorough source attribution is not possible. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of whole-genome sequencing analysis of nontyphoidal S. enterica isolated from chicken meat and human in Sri Lanka.

Development and validation of stages-of-change questions to assess consumers' readiness to use a food thermometer when cooking small cuts of meat.

Consumers' readiness to use a food thermometer when cooking small cuts of meat was assessed using Prochaska's Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. Face, content, and concurrent validity were assessed by peer review, cognitive interviews, and mail surveys. The self-administered mail survey was sent to two groups of Washington and Idaho residents: 1,000 randomly selected consumers (41% return rate), and 231 employees and volunteers of Cooperative Extension involved in food and nutrition education (60% return rate). Two-stage classification questions were compared with a behavior question about thermometer use, and validated using Cronbach's if-item-deleted option for alpha. Concurrent validity was assessed using cross-tabulation chi2 test. The detailed classification question more accurately classified respondents in both Consumer and Extension groups. Cronbach's alpha of the detailed question with the behavior question showed a consistency level of alpha=.73 compared to alpha=.35 for the simple question format. As expected, Consumer and Extension groups differed significantly in their stages of change (P<0.0001), verifying concurrent validity. We recommend use of the detailed classification question when staging persons related to food thermometer use. The process used for development and testing can be used to refine instruments for use in other types of interventions.

Educational intervention enhances consumers' readiness to adopt food thermometer use when cooking small cuts of meat: an application of the transtheoretical model.

An intervention to promote use of food thermometers when cooking small cuts of meat was conducted using the Transtheoretical Model. Objectives were to (i) increase use of food thermometers by home food preparers, (ii) improve consumers' attitudes regarding use of a food thermometer, and (iii) examine relationships between stages of change and decisional balance, self-efficacy, and processes of change. A randomly selected group of residents of Washington and Idaho (n = 2,500) were invited to participate in the research; 295 persons completed all phases of the multistep intervention. Following the intervention program, there was a significant increase in food thermometer use when cooking small cuts of meat (P < 0.01); those persons classified in action and maintenance stages increased from 9 to 34%. Ownership of thermometers also significantly increased (P < 0.05). The three constructs related to the Transtheoretical Model that were used in the study (decisional balance, self-efficacy, and processes of change) were very useful for examining differences among people at different stages of change because the responses for each set of questions differed positively and significantly (P < 0.01) as stages of change classifications advanced from precontemplation (no interest in thermometer use) to action and maintenance (individuals who use food thermometers). Additional educational campaigns designed to increase use of food thermometers are needed. Because most consumers are currently in the precontemplation stage, food thermometer campaigns will be most effective when they are focused on raising awareness of the food safety risks and the benefits of using food thermometers when cooking small cuts of meat.

State of the art on the initiatives and activities relevant to risk assessment and risk management of nanotechnologies in the food and agriculture sectors.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) conducted an international expert meeting on the potential food safety implications of the application of nanotechnologies in the food and agriculture sectors in June 2009. The present report reviews national, regional and international activities on the risk assessment and risk management of nanomaterials in the food and agriculture sectors that have been carried out between 2009 and 2012. The full report of the work is presented in a FAO/WHO paper available at http://www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/a-z-index/nano. Information and data have been collected on national and international approaches that identify and implement strategies to address potential hazards associated with the use of nanotechnology-related products or techniques. Selected activities by international governmental and nongovernmental organizations were reviewed and the significant achievements are noted. Meta-analysis of scientific reviews addressing risk assessment of nanotechnologies in the food and agriculture sectors was conducted and key principles for the safety assessment of nanomaterials were identified. It was concluded that although the concepts of potential use of nanomaterials in food and the implied benefits for stakeholders including consumers have not changed significantly since 2009, there are new products being developed and claimed to enter the market and national and international interests in considering the needs for applying regulations on engineered nanomaterials are increasing. The number of published risk assessment of products used in foods that are nanomaterials or contain particles that fall within applicable definitions is growing slowly. Several data gaps with respect to interaction between nanomaterials and food matrices, behaviours of nanomaterials in the human body, methods to determine such interactions and behaviours, and the relevance of such data for risk assessment continue to exist. The international collaboration in the area of nanomaterials and nanotechnology in food and agriculture must be strengthened. International efforts on risk assessment and risk communication may benefit from the experience gained at the national and regional levels. Should a sufficient number of case studies of risk assessment of commercial products become available with time, a review of approaches applied and results obtained could support the development of risk assessment procedures acceptable at the international level.