Occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant salmonella species in raw and ready to eat turkey meat products from retail outlets in the midwestern United States.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate occurrence of Salmonella in raw and ready to eat (RTE) turkey from retail outlets, determine factors associated with its occurrence and antimicrobial-resistance patterns.


METHODS
A total of 959 turkey products (raw, n = 345; and RTE, n = 614) were purchased in 3 months from four stores in one city in the midwestern United States. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to test for associations of microbial contamination with product type and brand, expiration date, sampling time, and retail store. Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonellae was determined using a National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) panel of antimicrobials.


RESULTS
Overall, 2.2% (21/959) of the samples (4.1% [14/345] raw and 1.1% [7/614] RTE) were contaminated with Salmonella. A significant difference in Salmonella occurrence (p < 0.05), between meat type (raw vs. RTE; OR = 4.2, 95% CI = 1.6, 10.8); and sampling month (p < 0.05) was reported, but not between retail stores and product brands. Salmonellae belonged to 6 serotypes: Hadar, Heidelberg, Typhimurium var. Copenhagen, Newport, Saintpaul, and Agona. Salmonellae from raw turkey exhibited higher antimicrobial resistance (53%) compared to those from RTE products (33%). Multidrug resistance was exhibited by 62% of Salmonellae (86% RTE, 50% raw meats). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS: Turkey (both raw and RTE) may occasionally be contaminated with antimicrobial-resistant Salmonellae whose occurrence was influenced by sampling month and meat type. Continued surveillance of Salmonella occurrence in meat products, in particular RTE ones, is warranted in order to ensure a safe food supply.
Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, College of Agriculture, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 59105-5406, USA. Margaret.Khaitsa@ndsu.edu
Margaret L
ML
Khaitsa
Redempta B
RB
Kegode
Dawn K
DK
Doetkott
D000818:Animals; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D011202:Poultry Products / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012621:Seasons; D013045:Species Specificity; D014422:Turkeys