Main message:
The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) has on request from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority conducted a risk assessment regarding STEC (Shigatoxin producing E. coli) in the Norwegian meat chain, with emphasis on dry-cured sausages. The request came after an outbreak in 2006.
E. coli is part of the normal gastrointestinal microbial flora of humans and animals. E. coli bacteria causing enteric/diarrheal disease are categorized into different groups based on their virulence properties and pathogenic features in humans.
Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are E. coli strains that cause bloody diarrhoea and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) in humans, and have a defined zoonotic association.
This risk assessment was conducted after a human outbreak of STEC O103 in 2006, associated with contaminated dry-fermented sausages. The panel on biological hazards appointed an ad hoc working group to draft a risk assessment for further treatment in the panel.
The members of the ad hoc group were: Eystein Skjerve (chair), Hans Blom, Viggo Hasseltvedt, Jørgen Lassen, Truls Nesbakken, Karin Nygård, Anne-Margrete Urdahl.
The current report approaches the task by following and analysing the entire process, from the origin of the meats at farm level, to the final production and storage of dry-cured sausages.
The panel on biological hazards adopted the risk assessment.
Contact
Vitenskapskomiteen for mat og miljø
The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment
The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment
Office:
Sandakerveien 24 C (entrance D11) 0473 Oslo
Webmaster: Tanya S. Kristiansen
Responsible editor: Ingrid M. Høie