Higher Storage Temperature Causes Greater Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Internal Penetration of Artificially Contaminated, Commercially Available, Washed Free Range Eggs

Alice Whiley, Howard Fallowfield, Kirstin Ross, Vanessa McEvoy, Harriet Whiley

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    11 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Foodborne salmonellosis is a major public health concern, with contaminated eggs identified as a significant source of infection. In Australia, the most prevalent cause of salmonellosis from eggs is Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. This study explored the effect of temperature after 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of storage on commercially available washed free range eggs, artificially contaminated with Salmonella Typhimurium on the external surface. At each time point, the external surface of the egg, the crushed eggshell, and the internal egg yolk and albumen were analyzed for Salmonella. After 28 days of storage, 25% of eggs stored at 4°C, 50% of eggs stored at 14°C, and 100% of eggs stored at 23 and 35°C were internally contaminated with Salmonella. After 1 day of storage, more than 50% of all eggs had Salmonella present in the crushed shell after the external surface had been disinfected with ethanol. This is the first study to demonstrate that refrigeration reduced the potential for Salmonella Typhimurium to penetrate the eggshell membrane and internally contaminate table eggs commercially available in Australia. It also suggests that the processes of cracking eggs may be a source of cross-contamination within the kitchen.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1247-1251
    Number of pages5
    JournalJOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION
    Volume79
    Issue number7
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jul 2016

    Keywords

    • Eggs
    • Environmental health
    • Food processing
    • Food safety
    • Salmonella Typhimurium

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