A Microbiological and Sensory Evaluation of Modified Atmosphere-Packed (MAP) Chicken at Use-By Date and Beyond.

Consumers are responsible for a large proportion of food waste, and food that has reached its use-by or best-before date is often discarded, even if edible. In this study on fresh chicken, the suitability of use-by dates currently used in the EU was evaluated by using microbial and sensory analyses. This was carried out by analyzing bacterial populations of chicken breast fillets (M. pectoralis major) at three different time points (use-by date, 2 days past use-by date, 4 days past use-by date) and two different storage temperatures (4 °C, 8 °C). A discrimination triangle test was performed to check for sensory differences between chicken breast fillets cooked at the three selected time points for both storage temperatures. A consumer preference test was also performed for chicken breast fillets that had been stored at the highest recommended temperature (4 °C) and after being cooked at the three time points. Changes in populations of total aerobic count (TAC), Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were recorded over time. Despite large differences in bacterial counts at the selected time points, with TAC populations of approximately 6.5 and 8.0 log CFU/g at use-by date and four days after use-by date, respectively, storage for two or four extra days had no significant effect on the sensory parameters of cooked chicken compared with chicken consumed at its use-by date. Since the TAC populations were close to or above levels that are associated with spoilage, more work is needed to explore if shelf life can be extended.

Foodborne bacteria in milk and milk products along the water buffalo milk chain in Bangladesh.

Controlling foodborne pathogens in buffalo milk is crucial for ensuring food safety. This study estimated the prevalence of nine target genes representing seven critical foodborne bacteria in milk and milk products, and identified factors associated with their presence in buffalo milk chain nodes in Bangladesh. One hundred and forty-three milk samples from bulk tank milk (n = 34), middlemen (n = 37), milk collection centers (n = 37), and milk product shops (n = 35) were collected and analyzed using RT-PCR. Escherichia (E.) coli, represented through yccT genes, was the most prevalent throughout the milk chain (81-97%). Chi-squared tests were performed to identify the potential risk factors associated with the presence of foodborne bacteria encoded for different genes. At the middleman level, the prevalence of E. coli was associated with the Mymensingh, Noakhali, and Bhola districts (P = 0.01). The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, represented through inlA genes, and Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, represented through yst genes, were the highest at the farm level (65-79%). The prevalence of both bacteria in bulk milk was associated with the Noakhali and Bhola districts (P < 0.05). The prevalence of Y. enterocolitica in bulk milk was also associated with late autumn and spring (P = 0.01) and was higher in buffalo-cow mixed milk than in pure buffalo milk at the milk collection center level (P < 0.01). The gene stx2 encoding for Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) E. coli was detected in 74% of the milk products. At the middleman level, the prevalence of STEC E. coli was associated with the use of cloths or tissues when drying milk containers (P = 0.01). Salmonella enterica, represented through the presence of invA gene, was most commonly detected (14%) at the milk collection center. The use of plastic milk containers was associated with a higher prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, represented through htrA genes, at milk product shops (P < 0.05). These results suggest that raw milk consumers in Bangladesh are at risk if they purchase and consume unpasteurized milk.

Understanding veterinary drug shop workers' knowledge and practices to identify drivers of antibiotic use in Vietnamese livestock farms.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a One Health issue and a major threat to animal and human health. Antibiotic use (ABU) drives AMR development, and several hotspots for ABU, and AMR, in livestock have been identified in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. There are often multiple drivers of ABU at farms, and to identify all of them there is a need to look beyond farm level. OBJECTIVES: The overall aim of this study was to identify routines and/or competencies, related to antibiotic sales, among veterinary drug shop workers that may be improved in order to decrease the medically non-rational use of antibiotics in livestock production. METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted at 50 veterinary drug shops in northern Vietnam. RESULTS: Results showed high education and knowledge levels. According to the respondents, antibiotic treatment advice was almost always provided to the farmers, and the recommended treatment was most commonly based on recommendations for the specific disease. However, farmers had almost never had their animals properly diagnosed. Antibiotics were the most sold drug category, penicillins being the most common. Several broad-spectrum antibiotics were also quite frequently sold. Further, >50% of respondents recommended antibiotics for disease prevention. CONCLUSIONS: Even though education and knowledge levels might be high, several challenges can prevent drug shop workers from contributing to more prudent ABU at farms, for example, lack of proper diagnosis, commercial interests and individual farmer motives, often in combination with poor compliance to regulations.

Understanding Vietnamese chicken farmers' knowledge and practices related to antimicrobial resistance using an item response theory approach.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a threat to animal and human health, as well as food security and nutrition. Development of AMR is accelerated by over- and misuse of antimicrobials as seen in many livestock systems, including poultry production. In Vietnam, high AMR levels have been reported previously within poultry production, a sector which is dominated by small-scale farming, even though it is intensifying. This study focuses on understanding small- and medium-scale chicken farmers' knowledge and practices related to AMR by applying an item response theory (IRT) approach, which has several advantages over simpler statistical methods. Methods: Farmers representing 305 farms in Thai Nguyen province were interviewed from November 2021 to January 2022, using a structured questionnaire. Results generated with IRT were used in regression models to find associations between farm characteristics, and knowledge and practice levels. Results: Descriptive results showed that almost all farmers could buy veterinary drugs without prescription in the local community, that only one third of the farmers received veterinary professional advice or services, and that the majority of farmers gave antibiotics as a disease preventive measure. Regression analysis showed that multiple farm characteristics were significantly associated to farmers' knowledge and practice scores. Conclusion: The study highlights the complexity when tailoring interventions to move towards more medically rational antibiotic use at farms in a setting with high access to over-the-counter veterinary drugs and low access to veterinary services, since many on-farm factors relevant for the specific context need to be considered.