title: Prevalence and subtyping of Cronobacter species in goat milk powder factories in Shaanxi province, China.
abstract: Cronobacter spp. are opportunistic pathogens that can cause serious diseases in neonates and infants via consumption of contaminated milk powder. To determine Cronobacter spp. contamination status, 632 samples, including 15 evaporated milk, 45 intermediate powder, 150 finished products, and 422 manufacturing environment samples, were collected from 3 goat milk powder factories in Shaanxi province, China, from July 2013 to April 2014. The recovered Cronobacter isolates were subtyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to trace the potential dissemination routes during the whole production processing. Sixty-seven Cronobacter spp. isolates were recovered. The prevalence rates in manufacturing environment, intermediate powder, and finished products were 92.5, 6.0, and 1.5%, respectively. The predominant species were Cronobacter sakazakii (88.1%); no Cronobacter turicensis, Cronobacter condimenti, or Cronobacter dublinensis were detected. Sixty-seven Cronobacter isolates were grouped in 26 clusters by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and substantial genetic similarity was observed among isolates from different sampling sites in the same factory. Isolates in the main clusters were commonly recovered from intermediate powder, floor powder, and shoes. These data indicated that air, powder, and personnel movement were potential routes for Cronobacter dissemination, and manufacturing environment is the key control point for Cronobacter contamination.
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Ruoyu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui, Gansu 741000, China.
authors.forename: Qianning
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Baowei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Binyun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Xianyang Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision, Xianyang 712000, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Xianchao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Junjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institution of Inspection of Yangling Bureau of Quality and Supervision, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: josephge@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wupeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D059126:Cronobacter / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006041:Goats; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Cronobacter spp.; goat milk powder; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis