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Projects for Specific Foodborne Pathogens

Yersinia

Development of quantitative methods for detection of Yersinia in meat (ESR Food, 2004-2005)

Evidence suggests that yersiniosis is linked to pork consumption or exposure to contaminated pork products, and potentially to lamb and deer meat. The Y. enterocolitica in pork risk profile (in press) identified as a data gap the lack of prevalence and quantitative information on Y. enterocolitica in foods in New Zealand and that the development of a robust technique is required prior to survey work being conducted. Although ESR has previously developed a PCR method that is able to detect pathogenic Y. enterocolitica in pork enrichments, a culture technique for the efficient isolation of suspect Y. enterocolitica colonies remains elusive. The goal of this project is to assess recent advances in technology for the isolation and identification of presumptive Y. enterocolitica colonies, and to develop a protocol for isolation of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from raw pork products. Standardised procedures will facilitate a proposed survey of the prevalence and levels of Yersinia in raw pork, lamb and deer meat and thereby permit more informed conclusions about the risk from these food hazard combinations.