Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Mechanically recovered meat (MRM) products have been linked to outbreaks of human salmonellosis. However, no studies have investigated the prevalence of Salmonella species in MRM products in South Africa despite the products being imported. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with Salmonella spp. contamination of mechanically recovered poultry meat (MRPM) imported into South Africa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study used secondary data of MRPM consignments imported through a port entry into South Africa from May 2016 to December 2017. Crude and factor-specific proportions of Salmonella positive MRPM and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated. A logistic regression model was used to assess the association among country, season, importer, year, and MRPM Salmonella status. RESULTS: A total of 8127 MRPM consignments were imported. Seventeen percentages (17.18%, 985/5733) of consignments tested positive for Salmonella species and only 364 isolates were serotyped. Salmonella Heidelberg (73.90%, 269/364) was the most common serotype followed by Salmonella Infantis (6.59%, 24/364), Salmonella Salamae (4.67%, 17/364), and Salmonella Schwarzengrund (3.57%, 13/364). The odds of a consignment testing positive for Salmonella spp. was higher among consignments from country-B (Odds Ratio [OR]: 3.958, p < 0.0001) compared to "All others." The odds of testing positive for Salmonella were also higher among consignments imported in autumn (OR: 1.488, p < 0.0001) but lower among those imported in spring (OR: 0.767, p = 0.0004) and summer (OR: 0.843, p < 0.0001) when compared to the winter season. Consignments imported in 2016 compared to 2017 were 1.563 times (p < 0.0001) as likely to test positive for a Salmonella species. CONCLUSION: Salmonella species were reported in MRPM consignments in this study with Salmonella Heidelberg being the most common serotype. Furthermore, some Salmonella serotypes reported in this study have been implicated in foodborne disease outbreaks. Country of origin, season, and year of importation were significantly associated with the odds of a consignment testing positive for Salmonella species.