Food Protection Trends

Abstracts - April 2008

Detection and Enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes in Refrigerated and Frozen Seafood Products  

Food Safety Training and Foodservice Employees' Knowledge and Behavior  

Detection and Enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes in Refrigerated and Frozen Seafood Products

Fletcher M. Arritt-1, Joseph D. Eifert-2, David M. Galton-2 and Michael L. Jahncke-3

1-Dept. of Food Science, Bio processing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7624, USA
2-Dept. of Food Science Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
3-Virginia Seafood Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Hamton, VA 23669, USA

SUMMARY
The traditional frozen, battered and breaded seafood portion is a low-risk food safety concern, since this product is usually fully cooked prior to consumption. In addition, growth of bacterial pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes, is unlikely to occur during frozen storage unless there is significant temperature abuse. However, an increasing number of supermarkets and convenience stores are interested in selling unfrozen, raw, partially cooked or fully-cooked, battered and breaded seafood. Many types of refrigerated foods, such as ready-to-eat sandwiches, meat salads, frankfurters, and cold smoked fish products, have been recalled from the marketplace because of contamination with L. monocytogenes. This survey examined frozen and refrigerated, raw, partially cooked and fully cooked seafood products (n = 112) for the presence of this bacterial pathogen. Qualitative test results revealed that 16 of the 112 (14.3%) samples were positive for Listeria species. Among the raw and partially cooked battered and breaded fish portion samples, primarily pollock, cod, or whiting, L. monocytogenes was identified in 9 of 79 (11.4%) products. None of the 12 fully-cooked products were positive for Listeria spp. Separate 50 g portions of all L. monocytogenes-positive samples were analyzed quantitatively by dilution in buffered peptone water and direct plating onto PALCAM, OXA and ALOA agar media. The concentration of L. monocytogenes was less than 50 CFU/g for all positive samples. Since L. monocytogenes survived in these products, antimicrobial interventions should be considered and manufacturers should provide consumers with a recommended internal cooked product temperature along with easily understood cooking instructions.

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Food Safety Training and Foodservice Employees'Knowledge and Behavior

Kevin R. Roberts-1, Betsy B. Barrett-1, Amber D. Howells-1, Carol W. Shanklin-1, Valerie K. Pilling-2 and Laura A. Brannon-2

1-Kansas State 104 Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
2 -Kansas State University, 492 Bluemont Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA

SUMMARY
Very little research has evaluated how different types of food safety training requirements in foodservice establishments affect food handlers’ performance. Foodservice employees (n = 242) from randomly selected restaurants from three Midwestern states within a 300-mile radius of the research institution completed a survey to assess their food safety knowledge and important behavioral antecedents (e.g., attitudes, intentions) related to food safety. Employees’ compliance with three important food safety behaviors (handwashing, use of thermometers, and proper handling of food and work surfaces) was observed. This study evaluated the effectiveness of two alternative food safety training requirements by comparing knowledge, behavioral antecedents, and behavioral compliance rates between two groups of food handlers: a group from restaurants in which food safety training is mandatory for all food handlers and a group from restaurants in which only shift managers must be knowledgeable about food safety. Mandating training for all food handlers was associated with improved compliance with some food safety behaviors; however, requiring that shift managers be knowledgeable about food safety appears to contribute similarly to employees’ knowledge, behavioral antecedents, and compliance with regard to the three important food safety behaviors observed.

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