SEARCHNARRATIVE_REVIEWpublic health, epidemiology

narrative_review·public health, epidemiology, food science, veterinary medicine, infectious disease·PMC10608972

A South African Perspective on the Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Meat: Plausible Public Health Implications

Microorganisms · 2 authors, 1 centre

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TL;DR

This narrative review examines the microbial and chemical contamination of meat in South Africa, driven by factors like intensive farming and antibiotic use. It concludes that such contamination poses significant public health risks, including the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, necessitating improved hygiene and a One Health approach.

Full summary

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This narrative review synthesizes information on meat production, contamination, and public health implications in South Africa. It describes how factors like high demand, intensive farming, and variable hygiene during the supply chain lead to meat harboring pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp.) and antibiotic residues. The review highlights variations in contamination prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles across provinces, attributed to differences in practices, handling, and socio-economic factors. It emphasizes that consumption of contaminated or undercooked meat is a health risk, especially for immunocompromised individuals. The authors conclude by advocating for enhanced hygiene, sanitation, prudent antibiotic use, and a One Health strategy to mitigate antimicrobial resistance and its associated morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic burden.

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narrative_review

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public health

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ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10608972

A South African Perspective on the Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Meat: Plausible Public Health Implications

Microorganisms

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ABSTRACT

Meat comprises proteins, fats, vitamins, and trace elements, essential nutrients for the growth and development of the body. The increased demand for meat necessitates the use of antibiotics in intensive farming to sustain and raise productivity. However, the high water activity, the neutral pH, and the high protein content of meat create a favourable milieu for the growth and the persistence of bacteria. Meat serves as a portal for the spread of foodborne diseases. This occurs because of contamination. This review presents information on animal farming in South Africa, the microbial and chemical contamination of meat, and the consequential effects on public health. In South Africa, the sales of meat can be operated both formally and informally. Meat becomes exposed to contamination with different categories of microbes, originating from varying sources during preparation, processing, packaging, storage, and serving to consumers. Apparently, meat harbours diverse pathogenic microorganisms and antibiotic residues alongside the occurrence of drug resistance in zoonotic pathogens, due to the improper use of antibiotics during farming. Different findings obtained across the country showed variations in prevalence of bacteria and multidrug-resistant bacteria studied, which could be explained by the differences in the manufacturer practices, handling processes from producers to consumers, and the success of the hygienic measures employed during production. Furthermore, variation in the socioeconomic and political factors and differences in bacterial strains, geographical area, time, climatic factors, etc. could be responsible for the discrepancy in the level of antibiotic resistance between the provinces. Bacteria identified in meat including Escherichia coli , Listeria monocytogenes , Staphylococcus aureus , Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., etc. are incriminated as pathogenic agents causing serious infections in human and their drug-resistant counterparts can cause prolonged infection plus long hospital stays, increased mortality and morbidity as well as huge socioeconomic burden and even death. Therefore, uncooked meat or improperly cooked meat consumed by the population serves as a risk to human health.

CITATION EXPORT

Christy E. Manyi-Loh, Ryk Lues. A South African Perspective on the Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Meat: Plausible Public Health Implications. Microorganisms. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11102484

AUTHORS

2 · 1 CENTRES

Christy E. Manyi-Loh, Ryk Lues

Centre of Applied Food Sustainability and Biotechnology, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa; [email protected]

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Elena González-Fandos