Persistance and Survival of Pathogens in Low Water Activity Environments

Roy Betts Campden BRI Chipping Campden UK r.betts@campden.co.uk

Low Moisture Foods

Over recent years numerous outbreaks of food poisoning associated with low Aw foods Increasing number of recalls Becoming a large issue Information required by industry/food producers ILSI Europe report

In Preparation at present:

ILSI Europe Report on Persistence And Survival Of Pathogens In Dry Food Processing

This Presentation
Review the issue Which pathogens Level of problem- controls Conclusions

Low Moisture Foods

What are they?
Wide range Animal feeds, cereals, chocolate, dried fruit, powders (egg, milk), herbs, spices, pasta, jerky/biltong, peanut butter, nuts/seeds

Usually very stable, long shelf life products With stable microbiological flora

Which Pathogens ?
Mainly enteric pathogens Salmonella - biggest issue at presentVTEC - has to be considered Cronobacter sakazakii - infant feeds Toxin producing Staphylococci - growth needed Toxin producing Bacillus growth needed Aflatoxin producing Moulds - growth needed Viruses- Norovirus/HepA

Low Water Activity and Pathogens

Using low Aw can provide a long shelf life Spoilage organisms grow slowly or are prevented from growing Pathogens are prevented from growing But if pathogenic organisms are present in high numbers, or the infective dose is low, then the risk to the consumer remains If low Aw ingredients are rehydrated during manufacture/preparation- growth can occur increasing risk to consumers

The Risk Realised- The Outbreaks

Almonds S.Enteritidis Almonds S. Enteritidis Almonds S. Enteritidis Cereals S.Agona Cereals S.Agona Chocolate S.Eastbourne Chocolate S.Napoli Chocolate S.Typhimurium Chocolate S.Montevideo Coconut S.various Coconut S.Java Halva S.Typhimurium Infant feed S.Ealing Infant feed S.Enteritidis Marshmallow S.Enteritidis USA USA Sweden USA USA UK UK Nor/Fin UK Australia UK Aust/Eur UK UK UK 2000 2003 2005 2008 1998 1985 1985 1987 2006 1953 1999 2001 1985 1995 1995 168 29 15 28 209 95 245 361 56 >50 18 >70 76 5 24

Outbreaks Associated with Dried Foods

Peanuts Peanuts Peanuts Walnuts Hazelnuts Pepper Pepper Crisps/chips Infant feed Infant feed Infant feed Infant feed S.Mbandaka S.Tennessee S.Typhimurium E.coli O157 E.coli O157 S.Oranienburg S.Montevideo S. various C.sakazakii C.sakazakii S.Tennessee S.Anatum Australia USA USA/Can Canada USA Norway USA Germany Iceland USA Can/USA UK 1996 2006 2008 2011 2011 1981 2010 1993 1986 1988 1993 1996 54 628 684 13 7 126 >245 1000 3 4 3 12

Outbreaks Associated with Dried Foods

Infant feed Infant feed Infant feed Power milk Salami Salami Salami Snack-corn Snack-rice Snack-sav Tahini Tea Dried Tomatoes C.sakazakii C.sakazakii S.Give S.Derby S.Newport E.coli O157 S.Typhimurium S.Manchester S.Wandsworth S.Agona S.Montevideo S.Agona Hep A Belgium USA France Trinidad Australia USA Italy UK USA UK/USA/Israel Aust/NZ Germany Aust/Europe 1998 2001 2008 1973 1981 1994 1995 1989 2007 1994 2002 2003 2009 12 11 8 3000 279 4 83 47 75 >2200 68 42 <200

Some Issues of Concern in Low Aw environments

Infective Dose Protective effects of food Heat resistance characteristics

Potential Infective Dose

Can potentially appear to be very low in low Aw foods Organisms can be non-homogeneously distributed

Salmonella Concentrations
S.Napoli S.Typhimurium S.Heidelberg chocolate chocolate cheddar cheese <50 cells (Greenwood 1983)

1 cell ingested (DAoust 1994) 100-500 cells (Fontaine et al 1980) (Hockin 1989) (Craven et al 1975)

S.Nima S. Eastbourne

chocolate chocolate balls

4-24 cells 2 -3 cells/g

Salmonella Concentrations
S.Typhimurium PT10 S. Oranienberg S. Saintpaul S. Rubislaw S. Javiana S. Mbandaka S.Ealing S. Montevideo Cheddar cheese 4.2 cells/g (DAoust 1985 & 1989) Chocolate Chips + paprika 2-3 cells 4-45 cells (Werber et al.2005) (Lehmacher 1995)

Peanut butter Infant formula Chocolate

3 cells/g 1.6 /450g 0.3 /100g

(Scheil et al 1998) (Rowe et al 1987) (Independnt 2006)

Protective effects of Foods on Salmonella

Salmonella survive in low Aw foods Some interesting effects have been reported with multiple stresses As Aw falls below that needed for growth, Salmonella die slowly Rate of death decreases as Aw gets lower and as temperature reduces

Protective effects of Foods on Salmonella

Food Pasta Temperature Ambient Survival 1 log reduction in 90 360 days 2 log reduction in19 months Survival for 2 years Survival for over 29 weeks 4 log reduction in 24 weeks

Chocolate

Ambient

Honey Dry seasoning

10C 22C

Peanut butter

21C

Protective Effects of Foods during Infection

To cause food poisoning organisms must reach the small intestine To do this they must overcome the low pH in the stomach Many low Aw foods are high in fat or lipid Fat or lipid coating the cells may help cells survive a low pH environment

Heat Resistance- Salmonella

In media adjusted with sucrose

Water Activity 0.98 0.94 0.90 0.89 0.85

D value (min) at 70 C <0.05 0.3 0.6 0.99 2.8

Heat Resistance-Salmonella
In inoculated media/foods Medium Temperature BHIB 62C Milk 68.3C Whole egg 60C Ground beef 60C Chocolate 71C Wheat flour 62C D value 24 sec 0.3 to 0.5 sec 183 sec 27 sec 4.5 to 20 h 14.6 h

Heat Resistance-Salmonella
Heat resistance is very dependent on Aw Wheat flour 62C Aw 0.4, D 875 min Aw 0.5, D 100 min

What Foods Are a Problem NowRASFF 2008-10

Organism Salmonella Food Alfalfa seed Baby/infant food Buckwheat Chocolate Dried Sausage Dried fruit Grain Herbs & spices Nuts Protein supplement Sesame seed No. Reports 1 3 1 1 1 3 1 14 11 4 14

What Foods Are a Problem Now-RASFF 2008-10

Organism C.sakazakii E.coli VTEC E.coli

Food Infant formula Tea Herb

No.Reports 1 2 1 1

L.monocytogenes Cake

How to control the Issue in Production

Consider points of entry for organisms
Raw materials/ingredients Air Water Contact materials Personnel Pests

How to control the issue

Reduction in contamination in raw materials Application of a process to raw material Prevention of recontamination Use of zoning within production to separate wet & dry, high & low risk items Personnel(all) & equipment must also be zoned Cleaning Keep dry areas dry Care with dry mix ingredients- must be of high microbiological quality Monitor production environments- use zoning to focus sampling, and indicator organisms Consider and understand how products will be used Advise users of foods of the risk and measures to overcome it

Some Conclusions 1
Survival of Pathogensin low Aw foods is a real food safety issue All dried foods can be affected

Some Conclusions 2
Reducing Aw increases heat resistance Reducing Aw increases survival time in food Some pathogens are infective at low dose in dry foods Some low Aw Foods may provide a protective effect in the stomach Care with low Aw ingredients that may be added to higher Aw ingredients, risks will increase Controls good quality raw materials correct process well designed production area using zones keep dry areas dry use well designed sampling plans to test production More information- ILSI Report available soon.