title: Risk assessment of Salmonella in Danish meatballs produced in the catering sector.
abstract: A modular process risk model approach was used to assess health risks associated with Salmonella spp. after consumption of the Danish meatball product (frikadeller) produced with fresh pork in a catering unit. Meatball production and consumption were described as a series of processes (modules), starting from 1.3kg meat pieces through conversion to 70g meatballs, followed by a dose response model to assess the risk of illness from consumption of these meatballs. Changes in bacterial prevalence, concentration, and unit size were modelled within each module. The risk assessment was built using observational data and models that were specific for Salmonella spp. in meatballs produced in the catering sector. Danish meatballs are often pan-fried followed by baking in an oven before consumption, in order to reach the core temperature of 75°C recommended by the Danish Food Safety Authority. However, in practice this terminal heat treatment in the oven may be accidentally omitted. Eleven production scenarios were evaluated with the model, to test the impact of heat treatments and cooling rates at different room temperatures. The risk estimates revealed that a process comprising heat treatment of meatballs to core temperatures higher than 70°C, and subsequent holding at room temperatures lower than 20°C, for no longer than 3.5h, were very effective in Salmonella control. The current Danish Food Safety Authority recommendation of cooking to an internal temperature of 75°C is conservative, at least with respect to Salmonella risk. Survival and growth of Salmonella during cooling of meatballs not heat treated in oven had a significant impact on the risk estimates, and therefore, cooling should be considered a critical step during meatball processing.
authors.affiliation: National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Cleide O de A
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.affiliation: National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Maarten J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nauta
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, School of Environmental and Biological Science, Rutgers University, 65 Dudley Road, Food Science Building, Room 207, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520, USA.
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Schaffner
authors.affiliation: National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Bygning 221, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Paw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dalgaard
authors.affiliation: National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bjarke B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark. Electronic address: tibha@food.dtu.dk.
authors.forename: Tina B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003296:Cooking; D003718:Denmark; D005516:Food Microbiology; D059022:Food Safety; D005522:Food Services / Q000592:standards*; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012475:Salmonella / Q000502:physiology; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature
keywords: Ground meat; Modular process risk model; Pork; QMRA; Salmonellosis