Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella in retail organic chicken
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study was to determine Salmonella prevalence, antimicrobial-resistant phenotypes, and their genetic relatedness in frozen organic chicken collected at retail level in Turkey.
Design/methodology/approach
Retail packs (n = 348) of cut-up chicken parts (breast, leg quarter and drumstick) and whole chicken carcasses were purchased from a central hypermarket in Diyarbakir (Southeast Anatolia Region in Turkey) and from a large online retailer in Turkey. The retail packs were paired by part type, brand, production date, and sell-by date. The chicken samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp., and then isolates were screened for antibiotic susceptibility, class I integron, and genetic similarity.
Findings
Salmonella prevalence in retail frozen organic chicken samples was 6.3 percent; however, the prevalence by parts, leg quarter, drumstick, breast, and whole chicken was 2.1 percent, 10.4 percent, 10.4 percent, and 0 percent, respectively. Salmonella prevalence was significantly higher in samples obtained from the hypermarket (9.2 percent) compared to online retailer (3.8 percent). All the isolates were serotype Infantis, genetically similar (highly clonal), and 68.2 percent harbored class I integron. All isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin (drug of choice to treat salmonellosis in human), and 86.3 percent of the isolates were multidrug-resistant.
Originality/value
Salmonella prevalence in organic chicken meat, regardless of the retail market source in Turkey, may pose a health risk to consumers especially with the high prevalence of multi-drug resistant phenotypes. Findings inform researchers and the public about the safety of organically produced chicken and the potential health risk to consumers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Professor Baris Otlu for his help in performing PFGE. We respectfully dedicate this manuscript to Dr. Nafia Canan Gursoy, who passed away after this study was completed. Her kindness and inspiring spirit are not forgotten. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Citation
Guran, H.S., Ciftci, R., Gursoy, N.C., Ozekinci, T. and Alali, W.Q. (2020), "Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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