Salmonellosis outbreak with novel Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype (11:z41:e,n,z15) attributable to sesame products in five European countries, 2016 to 2017.

In spring 2016, Greece reported an outbreak caused by a previously undescribed Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype (antigenic formula 11:z41:e,n,z15) via the Epidemic Intelligence Information System for Food- and Waterborne Diseases and Zoonoses (EPIS-FWD), with epidemiological evidence for sesame products as presumptive vehicle. Subsequently, Germany, Czech Republic, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom (UK) reported infections with this novel serotype via EPIS-FWD. Concerned countries in collaboration with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted a common outbreak case definition. An outbreak case was defined as a laboratory-confirmed notification of the novel Salmonella serotype. Between March 2016 and April 2017, 47 outbreak cases were notified (Greece: n = 22; Germany: n = 13; Czech Republic: n = 5; Luxembourg: n = 4; UK: n = 3). Whole genome sequencing revealed the very close genetic relatedness of isolates from all affected countries. Interviews focusing on sesame product consumption, suspicious food item testing and trace-back analysis following Salmonella spp. detection in food products identified a company in Greece where sesame seeds from different countries were processed. Through European collaboration, it was possible to identify and recall sesame spread as one contaminated food item serving as vehicle of infection and trace it back to its origin.

Antimicrobial efficacy of pepsin-digested bovine lactoferrin on spoilage bacteria contaminating traditional Mozzarella cheese.

The aim of this work was to check the efficacy of bovine lactoferrin (BLF) and its pepsin-digested hydrolysate (LFH) to control spoilage bacteria contaminating the governing liquid of high moisture (HM) Mozzarella cheese during cold storage. These natural substances resulted effective when tested in vitro against five potential spoilage bacteria contaminating cold-stored HM Mozzarella cheese. Among six LFH fractions, only the fraction containing lactoferricins, mainly represented by LfcinB17₋42, resulted effective against Escherichia coli K12 at the same extent of the whole pepsin-digested hydrolysate. LFH tested throughout seven days for its antimicrobial activity against the main bacterial groups growing in cold-stored commercial HM Mozzarella cheese samples delayed significantly the growth of pseudomonads and coliforms in comparison with the un-treated samples. This is the first report providing a direct evidence of the ability of LFH to inhibit the growth of cheese spoilage bacteria.