Ocorrência, caracterização sorológica e avaliação do perfil de resistência a antibióticos em Listeria spp. isoladas em laticínios processadores de queijos no sul do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive of ubiquitous natural, psychrotropic pathogen which colonizes the surfaces of equipment and utensils in food processing industries. Milk and dairy products, especially cheeses with medium and high humidity have been implicated in listeriosis cases and outbreaks. Microbial contamination could be originated in raw material or be incorporated during the development stages of the product, coupled with inadequate hygiene practices. The general aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Listeria spp. along the processing line of cheese with middle and high humidity, in three dairy subjected to different levels of sanitary survey located in Southern Brazil. From 208 samples tested Listeria spp. were isolated 7.69%, being isolated 43.75%, 25%, 31.25%, respectively, in dairy products A, B and C. From these isolates, 25% were found in raw milk, 18.75% in contact surfaces with the product, 50% in areas without contact with the product and 6.25% in the final product. L. innocua and L. monocytogenes were the only species identified between the isolates being L. innocua the prevalent species (68.7%). Among the serotypes of L. innocua, the serotype 6a was prevalent (72.7%) and between L. monocytogenes serotype 4b was prevalent (55.6%). All Listeria strains isolated from raw material and final product showed multiresistance to five antibiotics (penicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, cefaclor and clindamycin) of the fifteen antibiotics tested. Among the samples of raw material assessed microbiologically, the raw milk showed the highest levels of contamination and the highest levels found between them were > 1.1x106 MPN/mL for fecal Overall, 1.1x105 MPN/mL for fecal coliform, 4x105 CFU/ml for coagulase-positive staphylococci and Salmonella spp. in one of the samples. Among six samples of the final product, only one showed himself at odds with the existing regulatory standard, exceeding the allowed limit for ECP. Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes were present along the lines of the three dairy processing plants, regardless of the size of the industry, highlighting the risk of contamination during food manufacturing. Therefore, it becomes necessary to introduce effective measures to reduce such contamination or improvements in the practices already adopted by the industry, because of the risks to public health.