Inspection of food processing facilities for listeria

In the media briefing and subsequent press release by the DOH on Monday 8 January 2018, there were a number of issues which were pertinent for the food industry.  Here is what you should take note of:

Listeria outbreak latest

• South Africa is now at 727 laboratory-confirmed cases (Jan 2017- Jan 2018) with 170 extra cases emerging in December alone (and still more cases are expected to be reported retrospectively).
• The World Health Organisation confirmed that this is one of the largest recorded outbreaks globally, and it is receiving international scrutiny. The WHO is involved, and committed to support South Africa through this process.
• This outbreak is critical, so much so that on the 5 Dec 2017, the Department of Health added Listeriosis as a notifiable disease – which also helps with the tracking and recording of cases.

What is the cause of the listeria outbreak?

• In order to trace the source of the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes, whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis is being done. This has allowed the NICD to identify 9 sequence types – however 91% of these clinical isolates are sequence type 6 (ST6) and are very closely related, representing a single strain of Listeria monocytogenes, which is responsible for this outbreak.

• This ST6 strain has been identified in isolates from all 9 provinces, and the authorities state:
  
  “this finding supports the current working hypothesis, of a single source of food contamination causing the outbreak, i.e a single widely consumed food product or multiple food products produced at a single facility.”
  
  The finger is being pointed at the food industry as the culprit, and questions are now being asked in terms of what the food industry is doing in this regard.

How can the food industry cooperate?

• When asked how food processors and the agri sector can help address the spread of listeria, Mr Mooketsa Ramasodi, Acting Director General for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) said that all stakeholders should be working towards eliminating these pathogens in their facilities, by the implementation of good manufacturing practices (GMPs), particularly relating to quality and food safety, personal hygiene (handwashing in particular), cleaning, use of correct cleaning products, clean and effective packaging, and maintaining the cold chain.
  
  
  
•  Transparency is critical.
  
  The Director General of the National Department of Health has formally requested food industry stakeholders to submit details of Listeria-positive food items, environmental swabs and Listeria isolates to the NICD.
  
  The department reiterated that although some stakeholders from the industry have complied with this request, many have not responded. This is cause for concern, as the death toll rises, and the media eye is on the food industry.
  
  
• We would strongly recommend that companies comply with this request and provide the authorities with detail where relevant, as this outbreak is costing lives, and will continue to do so until the source is located.

Inspection of food processing facilites to start soon

• According to the department,  plans are being made for inspection of food processing facilities by EHPs (this includes packaging at distribution plants for bigger retailers)? 
• This will firstly be done in the municipalities from the most affected provinces - Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
• Samples will be taken to assess the quality of the processing systems and these results will determine what interventions are necessary to control and contain the outbreak and ensure public health.

Should the industry be concerned?

It would be easy to think that these inspections will not happen due to limited manpower among other factors, but there is a great deal of pressure, both locally and internationally, for the source to be identified.  The much publicised coverage surrounding Sovereign Meats should be an indicator that the departments involved will be diverting as many resources to this as possible. 

In the case of Sovereign Meats, Environmental Health Practitioners from the City of Tshwane investigated a patient hospitalised with Listeriosis and a chicken sample collected from the fridge at the patient’s home tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. This chicken was traced back to the store, and from there traced back to the abattoir it was sourced from in Tshwane. Testing has confirmed that listeria was positively identified at the facility, but DAFF advised that the colony-forming unit (cfu's) were well below acceptable limits in compliance with the guidelines.  The abattoir was closed temporarily for deep cleaning under the supervision of the State Veterinarians, but has since reopened.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis determined that the listeria found in the facility was not the same strain (ST6) which is responsible for 91% of the cases in the current outbreak.  Although it was a disease-causing strain of listeria, it was not present in quantities which exceeded the permitted limits.  Sovereign Foods have thus been cleared as the source of the current listeria outbreak, and the hunt for the provenance of the ST6 strain contaminant continues.

Our question to you…  how would your facility stand up under the microscope?