Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern Italy

This study tested 32 carcasses of control-culled wild boars in a subalpine area of Northern Italy between May and November 2021, delivered to three approved game meat establishments. Carcasses and organs were submitted to the detection of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria spp., and List...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Simone Stella, Giacomo Ghislanzoni, Gualtiero Borella, Massimo Zanutto, Daniela Longhi, Cristian Bernardi, Erica Tirloni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PAGEPress Publications 2024-11-01
Series:Italian Journal of Food Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/11901
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850219407165358080
author Simone Stella
Giacomo Ghislanzoni
Gualtiero Borella
Massimo Zanutto
Daniela Longhi
Cristian Bernardi
Erica Tirloni
author_facet Simone Stella
Giacomo Ghislanzoni
Gualtiero Borella
Massimo Zanutto
Daniela Longhi
Cristian Bernardi
Erica Tirloni
author_sort Simone Stella
collection DOAJ
description This study tested 32 carcasses of control-culled wild boars in a subalpine area of Northern Italy between May and November 2021, delivered to three approved game meat establishments. Carcasses and organs were submitted to the detection of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria spp., and Listeria monocytogenes; carcass surfaces were also sampled for microbial counts [total viable count (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive Staphylococci]. Campylobacter spp. was detected with high prevalence (90.9%) in the caecum as well as Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes (37.5% and 25%, respectively), whereas only one animal harbored Salmonella spp. (3.8%). A low contamination rate was detected on the carcasses for Campylobacter spp. and Listeria spp. High TVC, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli counts were detected on the carcasses (5.90, 4.83 and 2.54 Log CFU/cm2, respectively). Animal sex and weight exerted a weak effect on bacterial counts; the same was observed for the culling/sampling interval. Moderately higher counts were detected in animals culled with high (>15°C) environmental temperatures. Animals shot in the abdomen showed higher counts for all the parameters except for Staphylococci, and an increasing count of enteric bacteria was observed when considering head/neck, shoulder, chest, and abdomen locations. A significant difference among the plants was observed, independently from the other factors, thus stressing the importance of the application of hygiene procedures in approved game meat establishments to limit carcass contamination.
format Article
id doaj-art-6cf3be4294b54a6a8eddc28d394b5089
institution OA Journals
issn 2239-7132
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher PAGEPress Publications
record_format Article
series Italian Journal of Food Safety
spelling doaj-art-6cf3be4294b54a6a8eddc28d394b50892025-08-20T02:07:23ZengPAGEPress PublicationsItalian Journal of Food Safety2239-71322024-11-0110.4081/ijfs.2024.11901Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern ItalySimone Stella0Giacomo Ghislanzoni1Gualtiero Borella2Massimo Zanutto3Daniela Longhi4Cristian Bernardi5Erica Tirloni6Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Milan, LodiFreelance veterinarian, LeccoHealth Protection Agency, BergamoHealth Protection Agency, BergamoHealth Protection Agency Brianza, LeccoDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Milan, LodiDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Milan, Lodi This study tested 32 carcasses of control-culled wild boars in a subalpine area of Northern Italy between May and November 2021, delivered to three approved game meat establishments. Carcasses and organs were submitted to the detection of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria spp., and Listeria monocytogenes; carcass surfaces were also sampled for microbial counts [total viable count (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive Staphylococci]. Campylobacter spp. was detected with high prevalence (90.9%) in the caecum as well as Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes (37.5% and 25%, respectively), whereas only one animal harbored Salmonella spp. (3.8%). A low contamination rate was detected on the carcasses for Campylobacter spp. and Listeria spp. High TVC, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli counts were detected on the carcasses (5.90, 4.83 and 2.54 Log CFU/cm2, respectively). Animal sex and weight exerted a weak effect on bacterial counts; the same was observed for the culling/sampling interval. Moderately higher counts were detected in animals culled with high (>15°C) environmental temperatures. Animals shot in the abdomen showed higher counts for all the parameters except for Staphylococci, and an increasing count of enteric bacteria was observed when considering head/neck, shoulder, chest, and abdomen locations. A significant difference among the plants was observed, independently from the other factors, thus stressing the importance of the application of hygiene procedures in approved game meat establishments to limit carcass contamination. https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/11901Wild boarscontrol cullingcarcass hygienegame meat establishments
spellingShingle Simone Stella
Giacomo Ghislanzoni
Gualtiero Borella
Massimo Zanutto
Daniela Longhi
Cristian Bernardi
Erica Tirloni
Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern Italy
Italian Journal of Food Safety
Wild boars
control culling
carcass hygiene
game meat establishments
title Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern Italy
title_full Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern Italy
title_fullStr Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern Italy
title_full_unstemmed Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern Italy
title_short Microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine Prealpi Orobie area, northern Italy
title_sort microbial evaluation of wild boar carcasses coming from control culling in the subalpine prealpi orobie area northern italy
topic Wild boars
control culling
carcass hygiene
game meat establishments
url https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/11901
work_keys_str_mv AT simonestella microbialevaluationofwildboarcarcassescomingfromcontrolcullinginthesubalpineprealpiorobieareanorthernitaly
AT giacomoghislanzoni microbialevaluationofwildboarcarcassescomingfromcontrolcullinginthesubalpineprealpiorobieareanorthernitaly
AT gualtieroborella microbialevaluationofwildboarcarcassescomingfromcontrolcullinginthesubalpineprealpiorobieareanorthernitaly
AT massimozanutto microbialevaluationofwildboarcarcassescomingfromcontrolcullinginthesubalpineprealpiorobieareanorthernitaly
AT danielalonghi microbialevaluationofwildboarcarcassescomingfromcontrolcullinginthesubalpineprealpiorobieareanorthernitaly
AT cristianbernardi microbialevaluationofwildboarcarcassescomingfromcontrolcullinginthesubalpineprealpiorobieareanorthernitaly
AT ericatirloni microbialevaluationofwildboarcarcassescomingfromcontrolcullinginthesubalpineprealpiorobieareanorthernitaly