In raw sausages such as tea and Mettwurst are often dangerous pathogens

Listeria, Salmonella and Co: Raw sausages may contain pathogens

A recently published report by the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) shows that spreadable raw sausages such as tea and sausage meat are a possible source of infection of humans with various pathogens.

Possible source of infection of humans

In recent years, it has often been warned that the consumption of Mett and raw sausages can lead to hepatitis E infections. But such foods are far more health hazards. As the results of the "Zoonoses-Monitoring 2017" of the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) show, spreadable raw sausages (for example tea and sausage) are a possible source of infection of humans with various pathogens.

Raw sausages such as tea and sausage are a possible source of infection of humans with various pathogens such as Listeria or Salmonella. (Image: Barbara Pheby / fotolia.com)

Transfer to the meat during slaughter and processing

As the authors explain in the introduction, zoonoses are diseases or infections that can be transmitted naturally or indirectly between humans and animals.

"As zoonotic agents are viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites or prions into consideration," says the report.

"Zoonotic agents are widely distributed in animal populations and may be of livestock, which as a rule have no signs of infection or disease itself, e.g. be transferred to the meat during slaughter and processing. "

And: "Foods contaminated with zoonotic agents represent an important source of infection for humans. Contamination with zoonotic agents can occur at all stages of the food chain from production to consumption."

The main food-borne pathogens

As the BVL states in a communication, the provincial surveillance authorities for zoonoses monitoring in 2017 have taken a total of 6,922 samples at all levels of the food chain and examined the prevalence of the major food borne pathogens.

A total of 2,414 bacterial isolates were obtained and further characterized in the National Reference Laboratories at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and tested for their resistance to selected antibiotics.

The main findings of the report, which can be downloaded here:

In every eighth sample the investigation offices found Listeria. Some raw sausages were also contaminated with STEC / VTEC bacteria, which can cause EHEC disease in humans.

And with broilers, the test results are unchanged. Again, in more than half of the meat samples, the pathogen Campylobacter was detected.

Listeriosis pathogens

The results in detail: Listeria monocytogenes were detected in 12.2 percent of the samples of spreadable raw sausages, whereby two samples were used to measure germ levels, which pose a potential health hazard for humans.

Listeria can cause a so-called "listeriosis" in humans. The condition can cause flu-like symptoms such as vomiting, muscle aches, diarrhea, and fever.

According to health experts, the microorganisms in certain risk groups (pregnant women, infants, persons with weakened immune systems) can also lead to encephalitis or blood poisoning.

In extreme cases, the disease can also be fatal.

According to the BVL, infections with Listeria are less common compared to Salmonella and Campylobacter infections, but they play an important role because of the severity of the disease they can cause.

No progress in reducing Campylobacter

According to the BVL, in the reduction of Campylobacter spp. Still no progress has been made in the broiler food chain.

About a quarter of the neck skin samples (22.7 percent) of broilers at the slaughterhouse had high counts of over 1,000 cfu / g.

The detection rate of Campylobacter spp. in samples of fresh chicken meat was 51.5 percent and thus also at the same level as in previous years.

Campylobacter can cause infections that include symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

In rare cases, the complication of campylobacteriosis is Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disease of the nervous system.

In immunocompromised patients, a chronic course threatens and the infection can at worst take life-threatening proportions.

Less salmonella detected

The decline in the salmonella detection rate observed in recent years in pork minced meat samples continued in 2017: Salmonella in minced meat samples was significantly less frequently detected in 0.7% of positive samples than in previous years.

Salmonella can be a cause of severe stomach / intestinal disease (salmonellosis). The disease occurs several hours to days after infection and manifests itself mainly by sudden onset of diarrhea, abdominal pain, malaise, feeling cold and headache.

In some cases, vomiting and mild fever are added. The symptoms usually disappear after a few hours or days.

However, for infants, young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, fluid loss due to diarrhea and vomiting can be dangerous.

Acute intestinal inflammation caused by dangerous bacteria

According to BVL, the results show a high contamination of deer and meat from wild ruminants with STEC / VTEC. These bacteria can cause acute intestinal inflammation (EHEC).

A major symptom of EHEC infection is watery diarrhea (often bloody diarrhea), usually accompanied by severe spasmodic abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting.

The various sequelae can be associated with a variety of other symptoms

In particularly severe cases, the development of a so-called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), including kidney damage, which can even lead to kidney failure, is threatened.

In the end, at worst, a fatal multi-organ failure ensues.

Problematic consumption of scraping meat

The STEC / VTEC detection rate in samples of fresh veal and beef was only about 6.3 percent.

The higher contamination rates of game meat compared to livestock meat are probably related to the less controllable conditions in game meat production.

In Tatar / Schabefleisch samples, 3.5% of STEC / VTEC were detected. Thus, Tatar is a vehicle for the transfer of STEC / VTEC to humans, which is particularly problematic due to the usual raw consumption of scraping meat.

Spreadable raw sausages are also a potential source of infection for humans with STEC / VTEC: 1.7 percent of the samples tested were positive for STEC / VTEC.

On the website of the BVL, the experts give some important tips on food hygiene, which can help to destroy dangerous pathogens. (Ad)