Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational Health
Despite their potential impact on meat safety and occupational health, fungi are often underestimated contaminants in slaughterhouses. Moulds and yeasts may be associated with meat contamination in multiple processing stages, and mycotoxigenic species, such as <i>Aspergillus</i>, <i&g...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/8/1320 |
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| author | Melissa Alves Rodrigues Pedro Teiga-Teixeira Alexandra Esteves |
| author_facet | Melissa Alves Rodrigues Pedro Teiga-Teixeira Alexandra Esteves |
| author_sort | Melissa Alves Rodrigues |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite their potential impact on meat safety and occupational health, fungi are often underestimated contaminants in slaughterhouses. Moulds and yeasts may be associated with meat contamination in multiple processing stages, and mycotoxigenic species, such as <i>Aspergillus</i>, <i>Fusarium</i>, and <i>Penicillium</i>, pose food safety concerns. Bioaerosols may carry infectious fungi at the slaughterhouse that are capable of causing respiratory conditions and allergies. Chronic exposure to mycotoxins can have hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, and carcinogenic effects in humans. While bacterial contamination in meat has been widely studied, fungal contamination remains overlooked due to limited evidence of immediate disease and the perception that its risks are lower than those of bacteria, which may contribute to insufficient research, awareness, and standardised surveillance protocols. This review compiles published data on the occurrence of fungi in slaughterhouses over the past twenty-five years. It highlights the primary mould and yeast isolated species, mainly identified based on morphological and microscopic characteristics, providing context for their role in meat safety and occupational health. The findings emphasise the need for improved risk assessment and fungal monitoring in meat plants. Standardised fungal detection and control protocols are also suggested for implementation to enhance meat safety and workplace conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dbadf42855c447db97bc52fca6ca2113 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-dbadf42855c447db97bc52fca6ca21132025-08-20T02:17:20ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-04-01148132010.3390/foods14081320Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational HealthMelissa Alves Rodrigues0Pedro Teiga-Teixeira1Alexandra Esteves2Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), P.O. Box 43006, 3540 AA Utrecht, The NetherlandsNetherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), P.O. Box 43006, 3540 AA Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, PortugalDespite their potential impact on meat safety and occupational health, fungi are often underestimated contaminants in slaughterhouses. Moulds and yeasts may be associated with meat contamination in multiple processing stages, and mycotoxigenic species, such as <i>Aspergillus</i>, <i>Fusarium</i>, and <i>Penicillium</i>, pose food safety concerns. Bioaerosols may carry infectious fungi at the slaughterhouse that are capable of causing respiratory conditions and allergies. Chronic exposure to mycotoxins can have hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, and carcinogenic effects in humans. While bacterial contamination in meat has been widely studied, fungal contamination remains overlooked due to limited evidence of immediate disease and the perception that its risks are lower than those of bacteria, which may contribute to insufficient research, awareness, and standardised surveillance protocols. This review compiles published data on the occurrence of fungi in slaughterhouses over the past twenty-five years. It highlights the primary mould and yeast isolated species, mainly identified based on morphological and microscopic characteristics, providing context for their role in meat safety and occupational health. The findings emphasise the need for improved risk assessment and fungal monitoring in meat plants. Standardised fungal detection and control protocols are also suggested for implementation to enhance meat safety and workplace conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/8/1320mouldyeastslaughterhousemeatoccupationalfood safety |
| spellingShingle | Melissa Alves Rodrigues Pedro Teiga-Teixeira Alexandra Esteves Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational Health Foods mould yeast slaughterhouse meat occupational food safety |
| title | Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational Health |
| title_full | Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational Health |
| title_fullStr | Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational Health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational Health |
| title_short | Occurrence of Moulds and Yeasts in the Slaughterhouse: The Underestimated Role of Fungi in Meat Safety and Occupational Health |
| title_sort | occurrence of moulds and yeasts in the slaughterhouse the underestimated role of fungi in meat safety and occupational health |
| topic | mould yeast slaughterhouse meat occupational food safety |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/8/1320 |
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