Journal of Food Safety and Quality

Objective To analyze the status of foodborne pathogenic bacteria contamination in meat and meat products in Yantai City, Shandong Province from 2020 to 2023, and understand the safety of related food in the city. Methods According to national food safety standard Food microbiological examination GB 4789 series standards and the requirements of Shandong food pollutants and harmful factors risk monitoring manual, 6 kinds of foodborne pathogens were detected from meat and meat products, including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Campylobacter, Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Results The 5 kinds of foodborne pathogens and 46 positive strains were detected in 363 samples, with the total detection rate of 12.67%. The highest detection rate was Salmonella (10.48%), followed by Campylobacter (1.97%) and Staphylococcus aureus (1.33%), and no Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli was detected. Among the 4 types of samples, the highest detection rate was in raw poultry meat (26.67%) and the lowest was in cooked meat products (2.35%). The detection rate of Salmonella in prepared meat products reached 20.00%. The detection rates of pathogenic bacteria in the samples collected by farmers’ markets and online stores were relatively high (19.53%, 22.22%). Salmonella had the highest probability of causing illness in the third quarter. Conclusion Meat and meat products in Yantai City are contaminated by foodborne pathogens to various degrees, so it is necessary to focus on raw poultry meat and bulk prepared meat products, especially those originating from farmers’ markets and online stores, and it is important to strengthen the relevant circulation supervision, enhance food safety awareness and take measures to reduce the risk of cross-contamination during the sale of bulk meat products, so as to ensure food safety for consumers.

food safety; meat and meat products; foodborne pathogens; contamination status; detection