Seasonal variations of Escherichia coli contamination in clams (Chamelea gallina) harvested in the Adriatic Sea (San Benedetto del Tronto district, Italy)


Submitted: 7 May 2013
Accepted: 31 October 2013
Published: 5 June 2014
Abstract Views: 835
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Authors

  • Cesare Ciccarelli Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
  • Angela Marisa Semeraro Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
  • Alessandra Aliventi Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
  • Vittoria Di Trani Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
  • Piero Capocasa Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
In the European Union, the classification of shellfish harvesting areas depends on levels of Escherichia coli checked in shellfish flesh and determines whether post-harvest treatment required before shellfish can be sold for human consumption. Nevertheless, intermittent sources of contamination, such as rainfall and runoff from agricultural and urban lands, may give rise to seasonal variations of E. coli concentration, hence an annual classification could not be correct. In this study, we investigated the microbial trend in clams (Chamelea gallina) harvested from the district of San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. The Algaeadria database, a monitoring network for the whole Adriatic area, provided results from 2005 to 2012. E. coli values compliant and non-compliant with food safety criteria were evaluated by graphical data analysis tools and one-tailed Fisher’s exact test. The results showed a clear general seasonal trend and, in one of the considered areas, the non-compliant values from July to February were significantly lower than those from March to June (P<0.05). These findings may scientifically support a seasonal classification.

Cesare Ciccarelli, Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto

Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale

Dirigente Veterinario

Angela Marisa Semeraro, Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto

Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale

Dirigente Veterinario

Alessandra Aliventi, Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto

Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale

Dirigente Veterinario

Vittoria Di Trani, Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale - ASUR Marche, Area Vasta n. 5, San Benedetto del Tronto

Servizio Veterinario di Igiene degli Alimenti di Origine Animale

Dirigente Veterinario

1.
Ciccarelli C, Semeraro AM, Aliventi A, Di Trani V, Capocasa P. Seasonal variations of Escherichia coli contamination in clams (Chamelea gallina) harvested in the Adriatic Sea (San Benedetto del Tronto district, Italy). Ital J Food Safety [Internet]. 2014 Jun. 5 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];3(2). Available from: https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/ijfs.2014.1645

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