Microbiology Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Microbiology Report - Essay ExampleRetail kick has lead to disastrous outbreaks of shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli in Europe. Shiga toxin Escherichia coli is the leading cause of hemorrhagic colitis and this usually progresses to the fatal haemolytic uremic syndrome. Contamination of meat by shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli occurs during the skinning touch. Poultry is susceptible to Campylobacter contamination. Other common microbial contaminants tack together in meat products as revealed by surveillance studies in retail outlets are Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Moraxella, Acinetobacter, genus Pseudomonas, Clostridium and Staphylococcus. These micro-organisms imbibe virulence factors that contribute to pathogenicity in the human host and they include toxins, adhesins etc. Microorganisms such as Moraxella, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas lead to food spoilation via gas production, putrefaction and souring. Aside bacteria, fungi that lead to food spoilage and pathoge nicity include molds in the following genera Alternaria, Mucor and Cladosporium. Strict hygiene must be upheld in retail butcheries in order to eliminate microbial contamination (Montville, 2008). The Food Standards Agency in the coupled Kingdom provides for pencil eraser regulations in food retail outlets such as butcheries. They include directives on cross-contamination, cleaning, chilling, cooking and preparation. The various regulations that apostrophize food contamination caused by bacteria and other microorganisms are found in a legislative act i.e. The microbiological criteria regulation 2073/2005. It contains rules and regulations for all food business operators and is in agreement with the standards chastise by the European Union (EU). The implementation of general and specific hygiene measures is stipulated in article 2 of 2073/2005 and this is very applicable to meat production and selling (Moss & Adams, 2008). With respect to the aforementioned legislation, the late st applicable legislation in the United Kingdom was effected in the year 2006 and this legislation requires that for any person or firm to give any retail meat business, they must have a food management system that is inscriptioned. The document should strictly adhere to the principles outlined about hazard analysis of critical control point. The various areas that these guidelines are set to address is on carcass and carcass testing, handling and also processing as easily as packaging of the meat and meat products to tell that they are safe for human consumption impoverished of any microorganism that can cause food poisoning (Moss & Adams, 2008). The management system required by the law is meant to ensure that the meat seller have the correct policies and procedures, that the employees have the correct training, equipment and also ensure that the firm/ meat dealer upholds and keeps records that can be used in future to help brighten cases of food poisoning or help the govern ment make some analysis about a certain concern. The visit to the butchery helped us come up with several observations on compliance with the set legislation. Most important all meat products were come up labeled and the origin of the meat and preparation was well indicated. All standard operating procedures on cleaning and food hygiene were also adhered to. The manager explained the process of capacity building and the continuous training of personnel on food safety regulations. . The personnel workings there are highly trained and