Foods introduced into Brazil through the border with Argentina and Uruguay: Pathogen detection and evaluation of hygienic-sanitary quality

摘要

This study aimed to evaluate the presence of pathogens in, and the hygienic-sanitary quality of, commercialized foods of animal origin at the international border region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In total, 270 samples of raw and processed foods of animal origin were collected in Paso de los Libres, Argentina (n?=?65 raw meat, n?=?47 dairy products, n?=?28 processed meat) and Rivera, Uruguay (n?=?60 raw meat, n?=?31 dairy products, n?=?29 processed meat), or were seized by the Brazilian International Agricultural Surveillance System (Brazil-Argentina border) (n?=?9 raw meat, n?=?1 bush meat). The samples were subjected to the enumeration of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, enterobacteria, and coagulase-positive staphylococci, and were tested forSalmonellaspp.,Listeria monocytogenes, andEscherichia coliO157:H7. The virulence genes forSalmonellaspp. (hilA,invA,spvC,pefA, andsefA),L. monocytogenes(prs,inlA,inlC, andinlJ) andE. coliO157:H7 (uspA,eae,rfbO157,fliCH7,stx1,stx2, andhlyA) were investigated using PCR assays. Raw products showed higher counts of aerobic mesophiles and enterobacteria compared to processed products (P??0.05). There were no significant differences in aerobic mesophile or in enterobacterial counts between identical products according to origin (Argentina vs. Uruguay,P?>?0.05).Escherichia coliO157:H7 was not detected in any of the samples tested.Salmonellaspp. was detected in six (8%) raw products from Argentina.Listeria monocytogeneswas isolated from five (6.66%) raw products originating in Argentina and 20 (16.66%) raw products from Uruguay. All 52E. coliisolates carried theuspAgene, but only one carried theeaegene. TherfbO157,fliCH7,stx1,stx2, andhlyAgenes were not detected. AllSalmonellaspp. isolates carriedhilAandinvAgenes, butspvC,pefA, andsefAwere not found. AllL. monocytogenesisolates carried theprsgene; however,inlA,inlC, andinlJgenes were found in 20% of the isolates from Argentina and 95% of those from Uruguay. To our knowledge, this is the first microbiological study into the hygienic-sanitary quality of animal products in Brazil's land border region.Salmonellaspp. andL. monocytogeneswere detected in products of animal origin, constituting a public health concern and emphasizing the need for an active surveillance system to reduce the risk of foodborne pathogen introduction into Brazil.