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).