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Zoonotic risk assessment and risk management in the red meat sector

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

M. Attenborough
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC), Winterhill House, Snowdon Drive, Milton Keynes MK6 1AX, UK
K. R. Matthews
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC), Winterhill House, Snowdon Drive, Milton Keynes MK6 1AX, UK
D. Armstrong
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC), Winterhill House, Snowdon Drive, Milton Keynes MK6 1AX, UK
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Extract

Zoonoses are those diseases of animals that can be transmitted to man or vice versa. These may be caused by bacteria, parasites, or more rarely by viruses. This paper will concentrate mainly on the zoonotic bacteria Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., E. coli O157 and Yersinia spp. Foodborne disease, often described as food poisoning, is defined as disease due to the consumption of food contaminated with microorganisms or their toxins. In 2000, the most common causes of food poisoning in humans in Great Britain were Campylobacter spp. (60340 cases) and Salmonella spp. (16567 cases). Less than 100 cases of Yersinia spp. infections were reported in humans in England and Wales. Results from surveillance of zoonotic organisms in farm livestock were presented at two conferences organised by MAFF in 2000. The main results are outlined in table 1. It is not possible to guarantee the complete absence from meat of bacteria that can cause infections in people. Thorough cooking of foods should kill all vegetative bacteria. Nevertheless, it is also important that steps are taken throughout the supply chain to minimise the transfer of the bacteria that could cause foodborne disease.

Type
Invited Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2002

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References

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