title: An assessment of the microbiological quality of lightly cooked food (including sous-vide) at the point of consumption in England.
abstract: This observational study aims to investigate the microbiological quality of commercially prepared lightly cooked foods with a major component of food of animal origin and collected as would be served to a consumer. A total of 356 samples were collected from catering (92%), retail (7%) or producers (1%) and all were independent of known incidents of foodborne illness. Using standard methods, all samples were tested for: the presence of Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. and enumerated for levels of, Bacillus spp. including B. cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria spp. including L. monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriacea and aerobic colony count (ACC). Results were interpreted as unsatisfactory, borderline or satisfactory according to the Health Protection Agency guidelines for assessing the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods placed on the market. Amongst all samples, 70% were classified as satisfactory, 18% were borderline and 12% were of unsatisfactory microbiological quality. Amongst the unsatisfactory samples, six (2%) were potentially injurious to health due to the presence of: Salmonella spp. (one duck breast); Campylobacter spp. (two duck breast and one chicken liver pâté); L. monocytogenes at 4·3 × 103 cfu (colony-forming units)/g (one duck confit with foie gras ballotin) and C. perfringens at 2·5 × 105 cfu/g (one chicken liver pâté). The remaining unsatisfactory samples were due to high levels of indicator E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae or ACC.
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Porton,Porton Down,Salisbury SP4 0JG,UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Porton,Porton Down,Salisbury SP4 0JG,UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sadler-Reeves
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Porton,Porton Down,Salisbury SP4 0JG,UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shore
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory York, National Agri-Food Innovation Campus,York YO41 1LZ,UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aird
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory London,Colindale,London NW9 5EQ,UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elviss
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Preston, Royal Preston Hospital,Preston PR2 9HT,UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Birmingham, Good Hope Hospital,Sutton Coldfield,West Midlands B75 7RR,UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Porton,Porton Down,Salisbury SP4 0JG,UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit,National Infection Service, Public Health England,61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ,UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amar
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit,National Infection Service, Public Health England,61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ,UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: DE Pinna
authors.affiliation: Public Health England Food Water and Environmental Microbiology Services,Colindale,London NW9 5EQ,UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McLauchlin
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003296:Cooking; D004739:England; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology
keywords: Catering; food safety; lightly cooked food; liver; microbiological quality; poultry products; sous-vide