The consumption of insects is a traditional practice in many countries and, in recent years, has been proposed as one potential solution to the growing global food demand. Edible insects must meet food safety requirements to be considered safe for consumption. The present study aimed to assess whether and how long Salmonella contamination can persist in experimental farms of Tenebrio molitor and Acheta domesticus. The study was conducted using three different age groups for each insect species and two substrates that were contaminated (inoculated in the laboratory) with one strain of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Infantis. The results showed that Salmonella persists in T. molitor for up to 22 days, whereas in A. domesticus, Salmonella persists for up to 16 days. Over time, Salmonella undergoes a spontaneous reduction in count in the substrates used. Nonetheless, it is very important to follow strict biosecurity measures on-farm, especially during the introduction of the substrate, to avoid the entry of pathogens like Salmonella that can persist to the end of the farming cycle and contaminate the postharvest processing environment.
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The consumption of insects is a traditional practice in many countries and, in recent years, has been proposed as one potential solution to the growing global food demand. Edible insects must meet food safety requirements to be considered safe for consumption. The present study aimed to assess whether and how long Salmonella contamination can persist in experimental farms of Tenebrio molitor and Acheta domesticus. The study was conducted using three different age groups for each insect species and two substrates that were contaminated (inoculated in the laboratory) with one strain of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Infantis. The results showed that Salmonella persists in T. molitor for up to 22 days, whereas in A. domesticus, Salmonella persists for up to 16 days. Over time, Salmonella undergoes a spontaneous reduction in count in the substrates used. Nonetheless, it is very important to follow strict biosecurity measures on-farm, especially during the introduction of the substrate, to avoid the entry of pathogens like Salmonella that can persist to the end of the farming cycle and contaminate the postharvest processing environment.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 153 | 153 | 15 |
| Full Text Views | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 26 | 26 | 3 |