Detection of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica strains in pre-packed fresh pork minced meat – preliminary data

Sead Hadziabdic; Dörte Haase; Andrea Barac; Stefan Hertwig; Anja Buschulte

doi:10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.15

Sead Hadziabdic German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Unit Food Hygiene and Technologies, Supply Chains, Food Defense
Dörte Haase German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Unit Food Hygiene and Technologies, Supply Chains, Food Defense
Andrea Barac German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Unit Food Hygiene and Technologies, Supply Chains, Food Defense
Stefan Hertwig aGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Unit Food Hygiene and Technologies, Supply Chains, Food Defense
Anja Buschulte German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Unit Food Hygiene and Technologies, Supply Chains, Food Defense

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.15

Keywords: Yersinia enterocolitica, pork minced meat, NGS analysis

Abstract

Yersinia plays an important role as the third most common zoonotic agent of human gastrointestinal diseases in the European Union (EU). Most frequently, an infection in humans is caused by Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, whereas Y. pseudotuberculosis is mainly pathogenic for animals and less frequently associated as a causative agent of foodborne yersiniosis. Pigs are common carriers of Y. enterocolitica, which can lead to contamination of pork meat during the slaughter process. In our study, we investigated the occurrence of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica strains in pre-packed fresh pork minced meat from supermarkets in Southern Berlin and Brandenburg. In 17 of 104 samples Y. enterocolitica was detected by applying two ISO methods (ISO 10273:2017 and CEN ISO/TS 18867). With Illumina short read sequencing technology, an initial insight into genomic properties of selected Y. enterocolitica strains was obtained. Further characterisation and sequencing of additional Y. enterocolitica strains obtained within this study is planned.