Papers by Dr Bukola Onarinde
ABSTRACT
The domestic refrigerator is now a common household device with very few households in t... more ABSTRACT
The domestic refrigerator is now a common household device with very few households in the developed world not possessing one, or more, for the storage of chilled foods. Domestic storage is the last, and in many respects the most important, link in the food chill chain. Inadequate domestic refrigeration or cooling is frequently cited as a factor in incidents of food poisoning. The authors reviewed the temperature performance of refrigerators in 2008. This new review builds on that review, covering studies that have been published since (and those that were unfortunately missed in the first review), and also seeks to put this important stage of the food cold chain in its context. It is clear from the published data that many refrigerators throughout the world are running at higher than recommended temperatures. It is also clear that, despite improvements in energy use, the temperature performance and use of refrigerators has not changed significantly in the last 40 or so years. Many consumers still remain unaware of the recommended refrigeration temperature range, how to ensure that the correct refrigeration temperature range is achieved, the importance of monitoring that the recommended temperature range is being maintained, and the potential hazards of temperature abuse.
Keywords: Refrigerator, fridge, chilled storage, food preservation, food safety
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Abstract
The demands and requirements of Food Laws remain the same internationally as food hazar... more Abstract
The demands and requirements of Food Laws remain the same internationally as food hazards present the same risks to individuals including school going age children and adolescents, however different nations with different economic and developmental issues differ in the level of importance attached to Food Law requirements. A questionnaire to assess good hygiene practices in schools in Lincolnshire–UK and Ashanti Region of Ghana to compare compliance with training requirement in Food Laws was administered in 10 Lincolnshire and 45 Ashanti Region secondary schools. Whilst the demands on good hygiene practices remain stringently upheld in schools in the United Kingdom the same could not be said of Ghana. Although 60% of schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana fed between 1000 and 3000 students thrice a day, there was no evidence of food safety management system in all the schools. Staff food and personal hygiene practices including, temperature control, hand washing, avoidance of self-adornments, infectious disease control were substandard. A mandatory requirement by Food Laws in both countries for persons in supervisory position was not stringently complied with as 31% of kitchen matrons reported not to have hygiene qualification in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and 82% of 180 staff sampled had never received hygiene training. The absence of mandatory hygiene training for all food handlers, kitchen managers/matrons with requisite hygiene knowledge and qualification and rigorous enforcement of these remain challenges to good hygiene practices and Food Legislation in Ghana in addition to suitable facilities. The development of food hygiene training programmes towards mandatory certification at different levels of responsibility for the industry is required to help curb the identified challenges.
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Vegetable spoilage renders a product undesirable due to changes in sensory characteristics. The a... more Vegetable spoilage renders a product undesirable due to changes in sensory characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in the fingerprint of VOC composition that occur as a result of spoilage in broccoli, carrots, onions and potatoes. SPME and GC-MS techniques were used to identify and determine the relative abundance of VOC associated with both fresh and spoilt vegetables. Although a number of similar compounds were detected in varying quantities in the headspace of fresh and spoilt samples, certain compounds which were detected in the headspace of spoilt vegetables were however absent in fresh samples. Analysis of the headspace of fresh vegetables indicated the presence of a variety of alkanes, alkenes and terpenes. Among VOCs identified in the spoilt samples were dimethyl disulphide and dimethyl sulphide in broccoli; Ethyl propanoate and Butyl acetate in carrots; 1-Propanethioland 2-Hexyl-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone in onions; and 2, 3-Butanediol in potatoes. The overall results of this study indicate the presence of VOCs that can serve as potential biomarkers for early detection of quality deterioration and in turn enhance operational and quality control decisions in the vegetable industry.
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The study investigated the types of food hazards, the incidences and effect of foodborne diseases... more The study investigated the types of food hazards, the incidences and effect of foodborne diseases (FBD) in
Senior Secondary Schools in Ghana. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 boarding school
level 1 and 2 students from 45 sampled public schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and analysed with
SPSS Version 21. Stones and insects in food received the highest complaints alongside food allergy and
intolerance. Out of 180 students, 51.7% had experienced FBD with 21.1% of these reporting to health
centers within their 1e2 years in school. FBD incidence rate was 3e12 times per academic year and 12%
of the students had been absent from active academic work for as long as 5 days due to FBD with 10%
spending between GHC 30.00 / 50.00 on medication per each episode. Students recommended
improved GHP including standard cleaning procedures, food temperature control, available hand
washing facilities with detergents at the dining halls and kitchens. Mandatory requirement of routine
hygiene and food safety training for food handlers was required in schools with heightened monitoring,
surveillance and law enforcement on acceptable practices. Supplier control across the food chain to
reduce physical and chemical contaminants in agro products and food vendor's access control was
required. Improving the quality and variety of school meals could also reduce dependence on other
sources for food and help in controlling food safety risks. There was a need to increase awareness on the
appropriate channels to report FBD incidence in schools for effective control measures and infection
treatment.
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Food Control
Eleven schools in three different hygiene categories were given hygiene training as an interventi... more Eleven schools in three different hygiene categories were given hygiene training as an intervention to
reported low hygiene standards. Staff hygiene knowledge scores, food temperature, food service time
and microbiological quality of jollof rice (cooked rice in tomato sauce and fish) were measured before
and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon's Signed- Rank Test for repeated measures
on SPSS were used to evaluate the effect of GHP intervention. Staff hygiene knowledge and practice
scores, food temperature, aerobic colony count (ACC) and Staphylococcus aureus load in ready to eat (RTE)
meal improved significantly (p 0.05). Food hygiene training remains an essential legal and industrial
requirement.
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IFST Spring Conference 2015: Food Safety in the Court of Public Opinion
Study/research aims: The aim of the study was to;
1. Investigate on the types of food hazard... more Study/research aims: The aim of the study was to;
1. Investigate on the types of food hazards, the incidence and effect of Foodborne Diseases (FBD) in Senior Secondary schools in Ghana.
Study/research methods and results:
Survey in the form of questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 boarding school level 1 and 2 students who participated in the communal feeding programme from the 45 sampled schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Qualitative tools on SPSS Version 21 were used to analyse data.
Physical contaminants in food received the highest complaints with stones being highest.
95% of the students had FBD awareness and 51.7% of these had experienced it with 21.1% of these reporting to health centers between October 2011 and August 2013.
12.1% of students were absent from active academic work as long as 5 days and 37.1% had spent between GHC 10.0 - >50.0 on medication of which 30.6% were paid by parents and 15.6% by National Health Insurance Scheme.
56% had some form of food allergy/intolerance and out of these only 23% had reported to school matrons for alternative meals.
Students major concern in hygiene practices in the school kitchens were the poorly cleaned utensils, poor food temperatures and unavailable hand washing facilities for both students and kitchen staff.
Conclusions:
Foodborne diseases were high in the schools and students were being exposed to unsafe food.
The economic burden of FBD were on students, parents and the Nation. Schools kitchen staff required training to ensure Good Hygiene Practices.
Significance of study:
The study has created a platform for researchers and other stake holders to put equivalent focus in the forms of food hygiene monitoring, finance, training and provision of suitable facilities to institutional kitchens as current hygiene practices were similar to those reported on commercial kitchens in the country.
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Partially-eviscerated (also described as effilé, effileé, roped, partly eviscerated, partially dr... more Partially-eviscerated (also described as effilé, effileé, roped, partly eviscerated, partially drawn, wire drawn or Boston drawn) poultry are produced by removing the intestines from the poultry carcass but leaving the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard inside the body cavity (as defined in Regulation (EC) 543/2008). Regulation (EC) 853/2004 allows production of partially-eviscerated poultry, provided it is authorised by the competent authority.
The overall aim of this project was to carry out a risk assessment of partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry production (poultry with the heart, liver, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard left inside the body cavity) with a view to considering whether the risks of partially-eviscerated poultry production can be managed to an acceptable level such that the practice could be authorised in the UK.
To achieve this aim the project had four Objectives: Objective 1, an initial risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain together with a review of all relevant and appropriate literature/company information relating to the control of partially-eviscerated poultry production; Objective 2, an industrial survey of current production of partially-eviscerated poultry; Objective 3, a series of short practical evaluations of any processes where further data was required; Objective 4, a full analysis of all the data and findings of Objectives 1 to 3 and the production of the final project report.
The literature review found that documentation on the production of partially-eviscerated poultry was scarce and not comprehensive. However, it highlighted the important points for risk assessment and identified a reason for the development of partial-evisceration processing, i.e. the prevention of “greening” during storage due to the removal of the intestines.
The review of current post-mortem inspection of poultry concluded that of the twenty one conditions that are currently looked for during post-mortem inspection of poultry, the majority of these conditions do not pose a risk to public health. Seven conditions were considered to be of concern to public health (Ascites/oedema, Cellulitis, Contamination, Hepatitis, Pericarditis, Perihepatitis/peritonitis, Respiratory disease (airsacculitis)). It was concluded that only four of those seven conditions (hepatitis, pericarditis, perihepatitis/peritonitis, and respiratory disease (air sacculitis)) may not be identified during post-mortem inspection of partially-eviscerated poultry. Their public health significance was considered to be as indicators of the presence of enteric microbial pathogens rather than any inherent pathology of the conditions. Data on condemnations show that the rates of condemnations for these conditions are very low. In addition, these conditions should be clearly identifiable by the end user of the poultry during preparation of the carcass for cooking. Therefore, in our opinion, it is unlikely that the consumer would ingest such infected viscera.
Four French plants and two UK plants were visited during the industrial survey. Although there was a commonality in the practices employed at all of the plants, differences were found between the plants, particularly in the specific method used to remove the intestines from the carcasses in order to produce the product. Four main methods have been identified that can be used to partially eviscerate poultry, three are manual, one is mechanical. The only UK plant currently producing partially-eviscerated poultry, skinned the whole carcass with its feathers on.
Partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry report 3 of 166
Due to the lack of data on the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated poultry a series of short targeted experimental evaluations were carried out to: (1) investigate the difference in chilling time between partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses; (2) investigate any difference between the growth of microorganisms on partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage; (3) investigate the growth of microorganisms in the organs of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage. These studies showed: (1) due to the presence of warm internal organs partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses are warmer than eviscerated carcasses at the start of chilling and the rate of cooling of partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses is slower than that of similar eviscerated carcasses; (2) there was no significant difference between the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage; (3) ACC, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, coliform and Escherichia coli counts were all shown to be capable of increasing in/on the heart, crop, feet, gizzard, cavity, skin and liver of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage.
A critical review of all available relevant and appropriate literature and data was carried out, supplemented by a survey of current industrial practice and a practical evaluation of processes, to form a risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain. This risk assessment considered:
1. What abnormalities may not be identified in partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production;
2. Whether the risk of zoonotic pathogens are any greater for partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production;
3. The aetiology of those conditions;
4. The public health implications of those conditions and of allowing partially-eviscerated poultry into the food supply.
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Journal of Scientific Posters - ISSN 1754-1417
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium which naturally occurs in marine and estuari... more Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium which naturally occurs in marine and estuarine environments and has been isolated from various seafoods including blue mussels (Mytilis edulis). V. parahaemolyticusis an important human pathogen which can cause gastroenteritis when consumed in raw or partially-cooked seafood [1]. The antimicrobial susceptibility of V. parahaemolyticus has changed over the past decade and more extensive resistance has emerged amongst both clinical [2] and environmental isolates [3]. Due to the increasing challenge of antibiotic-resistance among human pathogens such as V. parahaemolyticus, the need for alternative control mechanisms such as the use of bacteriophage agents have been prompted. This study aims to assess the efficacy of phage-mediated control for reducing or eradicating V. parahaemolyticus when tested either in vitro or in vivo. Bacteriophages isolated from enriched seawater samples collected from the river Humber were assessed for their ability to inhibit the growth of V. parahaemolyticus in Tryptone Soya Broth (+ 3% NaCl) culture incubated for 24 hours and in a microcosm experiment with live blue mussels placed in 2 litres of seawater. The population of V. parahaemolyticus was reduced by an average of 1.2 log after 24 hours of incubations at 30°C in vitro, while the population of V. parahaemolyticus reduced by an average of 1.4 log and 5.7 log after 72 hours of adding 10 ml and 20ml of bacteriophage cocktail containing 12 different phages in vivo respectively. Our in vitro/in vivo study of bacteriophage in controlling V. parahaemolyticus indicated that specific phages targeted against strains of V. parahaemolyticus possess valuable potential in their use as a decontamination agent in mussel post-harvest processing.
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Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium capable of causing gastroenteriti... more Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium capable of causing gastroenteritis, wound infections and septicaemia in humans. The presence of V. parahaemolyticus has traditionally been confined to coastal waters of warm geographical areas. However, in recent years, the emergence of V. parahaemolyticus infections has revealed the presence of this organism in areas where its occurrence is thought to be rare. The purpose of this research was to isolate and characterise V. parahaemolyticus from temperature waters and assess the potential of bacteriophage for its decontamination. Cultural and molecular methods have allowed a total of 96 V. parahaemolyticus to be isolated from seawater, sediment and shellfish. These isolates were characterised on the presence or absence of virulence genes (tdh and trh), their molecular fingerprint generated by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR), their ecology in a temperate environment and their antibiotic susceptibilities. The PCR analysis for the detection of virulence genes revealed that ~2% of the isolates possessed the tdh gene. The genomic diversity of environmental V. parahaemolyticus isolates when compared to selected reference clinical strains revealed that a wide variability and heterogeneity exists among both types. The ecology study of V. parahaemolyticus, revealed an important number of these bacteria in the samples collected from the temperate region of the River Humber over an entire year. V. parahaemolyticus was detected in varied numbers in the samples throughout the study period. Numbers of V. parahaemolyticus obtained after enrichment of environmental samples ranged between 108 and undetectable (especially between January and April when lower temperatures were recorded). The association of the numbers of V. parahaemolyticus in seawater and sediment (recorded between September and December 2007) and temperature, revealed by Pearson’s correlation statistical analysis indicated a significant positive association (P ≤ 0.01). An important effect of low salinity on the occurrence of V. parahaemolyticus was observed between January and April 2008, despite the decline in temperature during this period, salinity between 11.2 – 28psu appeared to be able to support the presence of V. parahaemolyticus in the River. There was no significant association between environmental parameters and numbers of V. parahaemolyticus (recorded May to August 2008) in all samples. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of 83 environmental isolates revealed higher frequencies of resistance to kanamycin (80.9%) and gentamin (70.8%) although 19.1% showed resistance to tetracycline, the antibiotic of choice for clinical treatment. An in-vitro and in-vivo study of the effect of bacteriophage in controlling V. parahaemolyticus showed that bacteriophages possess valuable potential in their use as an agent of decontamination. Counts of V. parahaemolyticus were reduced by an average of 100 fold in-vitro. Whereas in the in-vivo study, involving mussels there was an average of 100 fold decrease in V. parahaemolyticus counts at the end of the first study utilising a mixed bacteriophage preparation. By the end of the second in-vivo study, involving the use of twice the bacteriophage preparation, levels of V. parahaemolyticus had fallen to undetectable levels in all samples analysed after 72 hours.
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Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major cause of seafood associated bacterial gastroenteritis world-wi... more Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major cause of seafood associated bacterial gastroenteritis world-wide. Infection may arise after consumption of contaminated or insufficiently cooked shellfish. Tetracycline is the antimicrobial of choice for the treatment of these infections although traditionally, vibrio species have been considered to be highly susceptible to virtually all antibiotics. Studies from the past few decades have, however, shown emergence of resistance within many species. Antibiotic resistance among these bacterial pathogens should be continuously monitored and emerging patterns of resistance recognised. The present study determined the antimicrobial resistance profiles of some V. parahaemolyticus isolates from clinical and environmental sources and the potential efficacy of antibiotics to inhibit this organism assessed. Method: A total of 171 V. parahaemolyticus isolates (21 strains were clinical isolates and reference strains and the remainder isolated from environments such as seafoods, sea water and sediment) were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility studies. The antibiotics used were ampicillin (10mcg), cephazolin (30mcg), chloramphenicol (30mcg), ciprofloxacin (5mcg), gentamicin (10mcg), kanamycin (30mcg), tetracycline (30mcg) and vancomycin (30mcg). The methodology used was the disk diffusion method with Mueller-Hinton agar, the zone of inhibition observed, recorded and interpreted as resistant, intermediate or susceptible after 14 to 18 hours of incubation at 37oC. Result: V. parahaemolyticus isolates were most frequently fully resistant to kanamycin 60.5% (101/167) followed by gentamicin 52% (89/171), cephazolin 35.1% (60/171), tetracycline 21.3% (36/169), vancomycin 6% (10/168) and 0.6% (1/169) respectively. Interestingly, among the clinical isolates, resistance was lower with 14.3% (3/21) resistant to kanamycin and only 4.8% (1/21) resistant to gentamicin. 52.4% (11/21), 40% (8/20), 9.5% (2/21) and 4.8% (1/21) of the clinical strains demonstrated resistance to cephazolin, tetracycline, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin respectively. Multiply-resistant strains (resistant to more than 2 antibiotics) was observed for 22.8% (39/171) of all V. parahaemolyticus isolates tested. No resistance was recorded for any of the isolates with either ampicillin or chloramphenicol. Conclusion: The overall resistance pattern of the total V. parahaemolyticus investigated in this study reveals a high percentage of environmental isolates resistant to kanamycin and gentamicin. The clinical isolates tested were generally less resistant to these antibiotics but over half were resistant to tetracycline. The changing trend in antibiotics resistance of V. parahaemolyticus warrants continuous monitoring of its antibiotic resistant pattern.
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Upcoming Event - Poster Presentation by Dr Bukola Onarinde
One of the factors that affect the yield of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) is the quality o... more One of the factors that affect the yield of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) is the quality of mushroom compost. To provide an optimal growth medium for mushrooms, it is important to understand the typical components of mushroom compost. The aims of this study were to isolate and identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and investigate patterns of change in selected VOCs during the different phases of the mushroom compost production process.
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In this study, three commercially available SPME fibre coated with different stationary phases we... more In this study, three commercially available SPME fibre coated with different stationary phases were compared as regards to the detection of selected compounds associated with the headspace of fresh Agaricus bisporus.
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Talks by Dr Bukola Onarinde
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Papers by Dr Bukola Onarinde
The domestic refrigerator is now a common household device with very few households in the developed world not possessing one, or more, for the storage of chilled foods. Domestic storage is the last, and in many respects the most important, link in the food chill chain. Inadequate domestic refrigeration or cooling is frequently cited as a factor in incidents of food poisoning. The authors reviewed the temperature performance of refrigerators in 2008. This new review builds on that review, covering studies that have been published since (and those that were unfortunately missed in the first review), and also seeks to put this important stage of the food cold chain in its context. It is clear from the published data that many refrigerators throughout the world are running at higher than recommended temperatures. It is also clear that, despite improvements in energy use, the temperature performance and use of refrigerators has not changed significantly in the last 40 or so years. Many consumers still remain unaware of the recommended refrigeration temperature range, how to ensure that the correct refrigeration temperature range is achieved, the importance of monitoring that the recommended temperature range is being maintained, and the potential hazards of temperature abuse.
Keywords: Refrigerator, fridge, chilled storage, food preservation, food safety
The demands and requirements of Food Laws remain the same internationally as food hazards present the same risks to individuals including school going age children and adolescents, however different nations with different economic and developmental issues differ in the level of importance attached to Food Law requirements. A questionnaire to assess good hygiene practices in schools in Lincolnshire–UK and Ashanti Region of Ghana to compare compliance with training requirement in Food Laws was administered in 10 Lincolnshire and 45 Ashanti Region secondary schools. Whilst the demands on good hygiene practices remain stringently upheld in schools in the United Kingdom the same could not be said of Ghana. Although 60% of schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana fed between 1000 and 3000 students thrice a day, there was no evidence of food safety management system in all the schools. Staff food and personal hygiene practices including, temperature control, hand washing, avoidance of self-adornments, infectious disease control were substandard. A mandatory requirement by Food Laws in both countries for persons in supervisory position was not stringently complied with as 31% of kitchen matrons reported not to have hygiene qualification in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and 82% of 180 staff sampled had never received hygiene training. The absence of mandatory hygiene training for all food handlers, kitchen managers/matrons with requisite hygiene knowledge and qualification and rigorous enforcement of these remain challenges to good hygiene practices and Food Legislation in Ghana in addition to suitable facilities. The development of food hygiene training programmes towards mandatory certification at different levels of responsibility for the industry is required to help curb the identified challenges.
Senior Secondary Schools in Ghana. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 boarding school
level 1 and 2 students from 45 sampled public schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and analysed with
SPSS Version 21. Stones and insects in food received the highest complaints alongside food allergy and
intolerance. Out of 180 students, 51.7% had experienced FBD with 21.1% of these reporting to health
centers within their 1e2 years in school. FBD incidence rate was 3e12 times per academic year and 12%
of the students had been absent from active academic work for as long as 5 days due to FBD with 10%
spending between GHC 30.00 / 50.00 on medication per each episode. Students recommended
improved GHP including standard cleaning procedures, food temperature control, available hand
washing facilities with detergents at the dining halls and kitchens. Mandatory requirement of routine
hygiene and food safety training for food handlers was required in schools with heightened monitoring,
surveillance and law enforcement on acceptable practices. Supplier control across the food chain to
reduce physical and chemical contaminants in agro products and food vendor's access control was
required. Improving the quality and variety of school meals could also reduce dependence on other
sources for food and help in controlling food safety risks. There was a need to increase awareness on the
appropriate channels to report FBD incidence in schools for effective control measures and infection
treatment.
reported low hygiene standards. Staff hygiene knowledge scores, food temperature, food service time
and microbiological quality of jollof rice (cooked rice in tomato sauce and fish) were measured before
and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon's Signed- Rank Test for repeated measures
on SPSS were used to evaluate the effect of GHP intervention. Staff hygiene knowledge and practice
scores, food temperature, aerobic colony count (ACC) and Staphylococcus aureus load in ready to eat (RTE)
meal improved significantly (p 0.05). Food hygiene training remains an essential legal and industrial
requirement.
1. Investigate on the types of food hazards, the incidence and effect of Foodborne Diseases (FBD) in Senior Secondary schools in Ghana.
Study/research methods and results:
Survey in the form of questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 boarding school level 1 and 2 students who participated in the communal feeding programme from the 45 sampled schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Qualitative tools on SPSS Version 21 were used to analyse data.
Physical contaminants in food received the highest complaints with stones being highest.
95% of the students had FBD awareness and 51.7% of these had experienced it with 21.1% of these reporting to health centers between October 2011 and August 2013.
12.1% of students were absent from active academic work as long as 5 days and 37.1% had spent between GHC 10.0 - >50.0 on medication of which 30.6% were paid by parents and 15.6% by National Health Insurance Scheme.
56% had some form of food allergy/intolerance and out of these only 23% had reported to school matrons for alternative meals.
Students major concern in hygiene practices in the school kitchens were the poorly cleaned utensils, poor food temperatures and unavailable hand washing facilities for both students and kitchen staff.
Conclusions:
Foodborne diseases were high in the schools and students were being exposed to unsafe food.
The economic burden of FBD were on students, parents and the Nation. Schools kitchen staff required training to ensure Good Hygiene Practices.
Significance of study:
The study has created a platform for researchers and other stake holders to put equivalent focus in the forms of food hygiene monitoring, finance, training and provision of suitable facilities to institutional kitchens as current hygiene practices were similar to those reported on commercial kitchens in the country.
The overall aim of this project was to carry out a risk assessment of partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry production (poultry with the heart, liver, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard left inside the body cavity) with a view to considering whether the risks of partially-eviscerated poultry production can be managed to an acceptable level such that the practice could be authorised in the UK.
To achieve this aim the project had four Objectives: Objective 1, an initial risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain together with a review of all relevant and appropriate literature/company information relating to the control of partially-eviscerated poultry production; Objective 2, an industrial survey of current production of partially-eviscerated poultry; Objective 3, a series of short practical evaluations of any processes where further data was required; Objective 4, a full analysis of all the data and findings of Objectives 1 to 3 and the production of the final project report.
The literature review found that documentation on the production of partially-eviscerated poultry was scarce and not comprehensive. However, it highlighted the important points for risk assessment and identified a reason for the development of partial-evisceration processing, i.e. the prevention of “greening” during storage due to the removal of the intestines.
The review of current post-mortem inspection of poultry concluded that of the twenty one conditions that are currently looked for during post-mortem inspection of poultry, the majority of these conditions do not pose a risk to public health. Seven conditions were considered to be of concern to public health (Ascites/oedema, Cellulitis, Contamination, Hepatitis, Pericarditis, Perihepatitis/peritonitis, Respiratory disease (airsacculitis)). It was concluded that only four of those seven conditions (hepatitis, pericarditis, perihepatitis/peritonitis, and respiratory disease (air sacculitis)) may not be identified during post-mortem inspection of partially-eviscerated poultry. Their public health significance was considered to be as indicators of the presence of enteric microbial pathogens rather than any inherent pathology of the conditions. Data on condemnations show that the rates of condemnations for these conditions are very low. In addition, these conditions should be clearly identifiable by the end user of the poultry during preparation of the carcass for cooking. Therefore, in our opinion, it is unlikely that the consumer would ingest such infected viscera.
Four French plants and two UK plants were visited during the industrial survey. Although there was a commonality in the practices employed at all of the plants, differences were found between the plants, particularly in the specific method used to remove the intestines from the carcasses in order to produce the product. Four main methods have been identified that can be used to partially eviscerate poultry, three are manual, one is mechanical. The only UK plant currently producing partially-eviscerated poultry, skinned the whole carcass with its feathers on.
Partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry report 3 of 166
Due to the lack of data on the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated poultry a series of short targeted experimental evaluations were carried out to: (1) investigate the difference in chilling time between partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses; (2) investigate any difference between the growth of microorganisms on partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage; (3) investigate the growth of microorganisms in the organs of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage. These studies showed: (1) due to the presence of warm internal organs partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses are warmer than eviscerated carcasses at the start of chilling and the rate of cooling of partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses is slower than that of similar eviscerated carcasses; (2) there was no significant difference between the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage; (3) ACC, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, coliform and Escherichia coli counts were all shown to be capable of increasing in/on the heart, crop, feet, gizzard, cavity, skin and liver of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage.
A critical review of all available relevant and appropriate literature and data was carried out, supplemented by a survey of current industrial practice and a practical evaluation of processes, to form a risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain. This risk assessment considered:
1. What abnormalities may not be identified in partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production;
2. Whether the risk of zoonotic pathogens are any greater for partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production;
3. The aetiology of those conditions;
4. The public health implications of those conditions and of allowing partially-eviscerated poultry into the food supply.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium capable of causing gastroenteritis, wound infections and septicaemia in humans. The presence of V. parahaemolyticus has traditionally been confined to coastal waters of warm geographical areas. However, in recent years, the emergence of V. parahaemolyticus infections has revealed the presence of this organism in areas where its occurrence is thought to be rare. The purpose of this research was to isolate and characterise V. parahaemolyticus from temperature waters and assess the potential of bacteriophage for its decontamination. Cultural and molecular methods have allowed a total of 96 V. parahaemolyticus to be isolated from seawater, sediment and shellfish. These isolates were characterised on the presence or absence of virulence genes (tdh and trh), their molecular fingerprint generated by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR), their ecology in a temperate environment and their antibiotic susceptibilities. The PCR analysis for the detection of virulence genes revealed that ~2% of the isolates possessed the tdh gene. The genomic diversity of environmental V. parahaemolyticus isolates when compared to selected reference clinical strains revealed that a wide variability and heterogeneity exists among both types. The ecology study of V. parahaemolyticus, revealed an important number of these bacteria in the samples collected from the temperate region of the River Humber over an entire year. V. parahaemolyticus was detected in varied numbers in the samples throughout the study period. Numbers of V. parahaemolyticus obtained after enrichment of environmental samples ranged between 108 and undetectable (especially between January and April when lower temperatures were recorded). The association of the numbers of V. parahaemolyticus in seawater and sediment (recorded between September and December 2007) and temperature, revealed by Pearson’s correlation statistical analysis indicated a significant positive association (P ≤ 0.01). An important effect of low salinity on the occurrence of V. parahaemolyticus was observed between January and April 2008, despite the decline in temperature during this period, salinity between 11.2 – 28psu appeared to be able to support the presence of V. parahaemolyticus in the River. There was no significant association between environmental parameters and numbers of V. parahaemolyticus (recorded May to August 2008) in all samples. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of 83 environmental isolates revealed higher frequencies of resistance to kanamycin (80.9%) and gentamin (70.8%) although 19.1% showed resistance to tetracycline, the antibiotic of choice for clinical treatment. An in-vitro and in-vivo study of the effect of bacteriophage in controlling V. parahaemolyticus showed that bacteriophages possess valuable potential in their use as an agent of decontamination. Counts of V. parahaemolyticus were reduced by an average of 100 fold in-vitro. Whereas in the in-vivo study, involving mussels there was an average of 100 fold decrease in V. parahaemolyticus counts at the end of the first study utilising a mixed bacteriophage preparation. By the end of the second in-vivo study, involving the use of twice the bacteriophage preparation, levels of V. parahaemolyticus had fallen to undetectable levels in all samples analysed after 72 hours.
Upcoming Event - Poster Presentation by Dr Bukola Onarinde
Talks by Dr Bukola Onarinde
The domestic refrigerator is now a common household device with very few households in the developed world not possessing one, or more, for the storage of chilled foods. Domestic storage is the last, and in many respects the most important, link in the food chill chain. Inadequate domestic refrigeration or cooling is frequently cited as a factor in incidents of food poisoning. The authors reviewed the temperature performance of refrigerators in 2008. This new review builds on that review, covering studies that have been published since (and those that were unfortunately missed in the first review), and also seeks to put this important stage of the food cold chain in its context. It is clear from the published data that many refrigerators throughout the world are running at higher than recommended temperatures. It is also clear that, despite improvements in energy use, the temperature performance and use of refrigerators has not changed significantly in the last 40 or so years. Many consumers still remain unaware of the recommended refrigeration temperature range, how to ensure that the correct refrigeration temperature range is achieved, the importance of monitoring that the recommended temperature range is being maintained, and the potential hazards of temperature abuse.
Keywords: Refrigerator, fridge, chilled storage, food preservation, food safety
The demands and requirements of Food Laws remain the same internationally as food hazards present the same risks to individuals including school going age children and adolescents, however different nations with different economic and developmental issues differ in the level of importance attached to Food Law requirements. A questionnaire to assess good hygiene practices in schools in Lincolnshire–UK and Ashanti Region of Ghana to compare compliance with training requirement in Food Laws was administered in 10 Lincolnshire and 45 Ashanti Region secondary schools. Whilst the demands on good hygiene practices remain stringently upheld in schools in the United Kingdom the same could not be said of Ghana. Although 60% of schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana fed between 1000 and 3000 students thrice a day, there was no evidence of food safety management system in all the schools. Staff food and personal hygiene practices including, temperature control, hand washing, avoidance of self-adornments, infectious disease control were substandard. A mandatory requirement by Food Laws in both countries for persons in supervisory position was not stringently complied with as 31% of kitchen matrons reported not to have hygiene qualification in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and 82% of 180 staff sampled had never received hygiene training. The absence of mandatory hygiene training for all food handlers, kitchen managers/matrons with requisite hygiene knowledge and qualification and rigorous enforcement of these remain challenges to good hygiene practices and Food Legislation in Ghana in addition to suitable facilities. The development of food hygiene training programmes towards mandatory certification at different levels of responsibility for the industry is required to help curb the identified challenges.
Senior Secondary Schools in Ghana. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 boarding school
level 1 and 2 students from 45 sampled public schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and analysed with
SPSS Version 21. Stones and insects in food received the highest complaints alongside food allergy and
intolerance. Out of 180 students, 51.7% had experienced FBD with 21.1% of these reporting to health
centers within their 1e2 years in school. FBD incidence rate was 3e12 times per academic year and 12%
of the students had been absent from active academic work for as long as 5 days due to FBD with 10%
spending between GHC 30.00 / 50.00 on medication per each episode. Students recommended
improved GHP including standard cleaning procedures, food temperature control, available hand
washing facilities with detergents at the dining halls and kitchens. Mandatory requirement of routine
hygiene and food safety training for food handlers was required in schools with heightened monitoring,
surveillance and law enforcement on acceptable practices. Supplier control across the food chain to
reduce physical and chemical contaminants in agro products and food vendor's access control was
required. Improving the quality and variety of school meals could also reduce dependence on other
sources for food and help in controlling food safety risks. There was a need to increase awareness on the
appropriate channels to report FBD incidence in schools for effective control measures and infection
treatment.
reported low hygiene standards. Staff hygiene knowledge scores, food temperature, food service time
and microbiological quality of jollof rice (cooked rice in tomato sauce and fish) were measured before
and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon's Signed- Rank Test for repeated measures
on SPSS were used to evaluate the effect of GHP intervention. Staff hygiene knowledge and practice
scores, food temperature, aerobic colony count (ACC) and Staphylococcus aureus load in ready to eat (RTE)
meal improved significantly (p 0.05). Food hygiene training remains an essential legal and industrial
requirement.
1. Investigate on the types of food hazards, the incidence and effect of Foodborne Diseases (FBD) in Senior Secondary schools in Ghana.
Study/research methods and results:
Survey in the form of questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 boarding school level 1 and 2 students who participated in the communal feeding programme from the 45 sampled schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Qualitative tools on SPSS Version 21 were used to analyse data.
Physical contaminants in food received the highest complaints with stones being highest.
95% of the students had FBD awareness and 51.7% of these had experienced it with 21.1% of these reporting to health centers between October 2011 and August 2013.
12.1% of students were absent from active academic work as long as 5 days and 37.1% had spent between GHC 10.0 - >50.0 on medication of which 30.6% were paid by parents and 15.6% by National Health Insurance Scheme.
56% had some form of food allergy/intolerance and out of these only 23% had reported to school matrons for alternative meals.
Students major concern in hygiene practices in the school kitchens were the poorly cleaned utensils, poor food temperatures and unavailable hand washing facilities for both students and kitchen staff.
Conclusions:
Foodborne diseases were high in the schools and students were being exposed to unsafe food.
The economic burden of FBD were on students, parents and the Nation. Schools kitchen staff required training to ensure Good Hygiene Practices.
Significance of study:
The study has created a platform for researchers and other stake holders to put equivalent focus in the forms of food hygiene monitoring, finance, training and provision of suitable facilities to institutional kitchens as current hygiene practices were similar to those reported on commercial kitchens in the country.
The overall aim of this project was to carry out a risk assessment of partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry production (poultry with the heart, liver, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard left inside the body cavity) with a view to considering whether the risks of partially-eviscerated poultry production can be managed to an acceptable level such that the practice could be authorised in the UK.
To achieve this aim the project had four Objectives: Objective 1, an initial risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain together with a review of all relevant and appropriate literature/company information relating to the control of partially-eviscerated poultry production; Objective 2, an industrial survey of current production of partially-eviscerated poultry; Objective 3, a series of short practical evaluations of any processes where further data was required; Objective 4, a full analysis of all the data and findings of Objectives 1 to 3 and the production of the final project report.
The literature review found that documentation on the production of partially-eviscerated poultry was scarce and not comprehensive. However, it highlighted the important points for risk assessment and identified a reason for the development of partial-evisceration processing, i.e. the prevention of “greening” during storage due to the removal of the intestines.
The review of current post-mortem inspection of poultry concluded that of the twenty one conditions that are currently looked for during post-mortem inspection of poultry, the majority of these conditions do not pose a risk to public health. Seven conditions were considered to be of concern to public health (Ascites/oedema, Cellulitis, Contamination, Hepatitis, Pericarditis, Perihepatitis/peritonitis, Respiratory disease (airsacculitis)). It was concluded that only four of those seven conditions (hepatitis, pericarditis, perihepatitis/peritonitis, and respiratory disease (air sacculitis)) may not be identified during post-mortem inspection of partially-eviscerated poultry. Their public health significance was considered to be as indicators of the presence of enteric microbial pathogens rather than any inherent pathology of the conditions. Data on condemnations show that the rates of condemnations for these conditions are very low. In addition, these conditions should be clearly identifiable by the end user of the poultry during preparation of the carcass for cooking. Therefore, in our opinion, it is unlikely that the consumer would ingest such infected viscera.
Four French plants and two UK plants were visited during the industrial survey. Although there was a commonality in the practices employed at all of the plants, differences were found between the plants, particularly in the specific method used to remove the intestines from the carcasses in order to produce the product. Four main methods have been identified that can be used to partially eviscerate poultry, three are manual, one is mechanical. The only UK plant currently producing partially-eviscerated poultry, skinned the whole carcass with its feathers on.
Partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry report 3 of 166
Due to the lack of data on the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated poultry a series of short targeted experimental evaluations were carried out to: (1) investigate the difference in chilling time between partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses; (2) investigate any difference between the growth of microorganisms on partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage; (3) investigate the growth of microorganisms in the organs of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage. These studies showed: (1) due to the presence of warm internal organs partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses are warmer than eviscerated carcasses at the start of chilling and the rate of cooling of partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses is slower than that of similar eviscerated carcasses; (2) there was no significant difference between the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage; (3) ACC, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, coliform and Escherichia coli counts were all shown to be capable of increasing in/on the heart, crop, feet, gizzard, cavity, skin and liver of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage.
A critical review of all available relevant and appropriate literature and data was carried out, supplemented by a survey of current industrial practice and a practical evaluation of processes, to form a risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain. This risk assessment considered:
1. What abnormalities may not be identified in partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production;
2. Whether the risk of zoonotic pathogens are any greater for partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production;
3. The aetiology of those conditions;
4. The public health implications of those conditions and of allowing partially-eviscerated poultry into the food supply.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium capable of causing gastroenteritis, wound infections and septicaemia in humans. The presence of V. parahaemolyticus has traditionally been confined to coastal waters of warm geographical areas. However, in recent years, the emergence of V. parahaemolyticus infections has revealed the presence of this organism in areas where its occurrence is thought to be rare. The purpose of this research was to isolate and characterise V. parahaemolyticus from temperature waters and assess the potential of bacteriophage for its decontamination. Cultural and molecular methods have allowed a total of 96 V. parahaemolyticus to be isolated from seawater, sediment and shellfish. These isolates were characterised on the presence or absence of virulence genes (tdh and trh), their molecular fingerprint generated by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR), their ecology in a temperate environment and their antibiotic susceptibilities. The PCR analysis for the detection of virulence genes revealed that ~2% of the isolates possessed the tdh gene. The genomic diversity of environmental V. parahaemolyticus isolates when compared to selected reference clinical strains revealed that a wide variability and heterogeneity exists among both types. The ecology study of V. parahaemolyticus, revealed an important number of these bacteria in the samples collected from the temperate region of the River Humber over an entire year. V. parahaemolyticus was detected in varied numbers in the samples throughout the study period. Numbers of V. parahaemolyticus obtained after enrichment of environmental samples ranged between 108 and undetectable (especially between January and April when lower temperatures were recorded). The association of the numbers of V. parahaemolyticus in seawater and sediment (recorded between September and December 2007) and temperature, revealed by Pearson’s correlation statistical analysis indicated a significant positive association (P ≤ 0.01). An important effect of low salinity on the occurrence of V. parahaemolyticus was observed between January and April 2008, despite the decline in temperature during this period, salinity between 11.2 – 28psu appeared to be able to support the presence of V. parahaemolyticus in the River. There was no significant association between environmental parameters and numbers of V. parahaemolyticus (recorded May to August 2008) in all samples. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of 83 environmental isolates revealed higher frequencies of resistance to kanamycin (80.9%) and gentamin (70.8%) although 19.1% showed resistance to tetracycline, the antibiotic of choice for clinical treatment. An in-vitro and in-vivo study of the effect of bacteriophage in controlling V. parahaemolyticus showed that bacteriophages possess valuable potential in their use as an agent of decontamination. Counts of V. parahaemolyticus were reduced by an average of 100 fold in-vitro. Whereas in the in-vivo study, involving mussels there was an average of 100 fold decrease in V. parahaemolyticus counts at the end of the first study utilising a mixed bacteriophage preparation. By the end of the second in-vivo study, involving the use of twice the bacteriophage preparation, levels of V. parahaemolyticus had fallen to undetectable levels in all samples analysed after 72 hours.