Table 3 Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecium, and Enterococcus faecalis. in the 40 meat markets (80 ground beef samples) evaluated in this study
Market factors1) | Number of positive samples/number of total samples (%)2) |
L. monocytogenes | E. faecium | E. faecalis |
Processing temperature | TEM+ | 6/44 (13.6)A | 6/44 (13.6)A | 10/44 (22.7)A |
TEM– | 0/36 (0.0)B | 2/36 (5.6)A | 6/36 (16.7)A |
Processing area | SP+ | 4/32 (12.5) A | 6/32 (18.8) A | 4/32 (12.5) A |
SP– | 2/48 (4.2) A | 2/48 (4.2) A | 12/48 (25.0) A |
Market type | Single market | 3/30 (10.0) A | 3/30 (10.0) A | 7/30 (23.3) A |
Department store | 3/20 (15.0) A | 2/20 (10.0) A | 3/20 (15.0) A |
Wholesale market | 0/30 (0.0) A | 3/30 (10.0) A | 6/30 (20.0) A |
Washing knives | WASH+ | - | - | - |
WASH- | 6/80 (7.5) | 8/80 (10.0) | 16/80 (20.0) |
Total (40) | 6/80 (7.5) | 8/80 (10.0) | 16/80 (20.0) |
1) SP+, meat processing room separated from the outside; SP–, meat sale area exposed to the outside; TEM+, processing temperature maintained below 20℃; TEM–, processing temperature maintained below over 20℃; WASH+, washing of knives before meat processing; WASH–, no washing of knives before meat processing; Single market, small retail shops selling meat products with a complex distribution structure; Department store, large stores selling various foods including meat products with a complex distribution structure; Wholesale market, group of wholesale establishments selling meat products directly from the manufacturers.
2) Different letters within a column indicate significant differences (p<0.05, Fisher’s exact).