Significance of Whole-Genome Sequencing for the Traceability of Foodborne Pathogens: During the Processing of Meat and Dairy Products

Abstract

The complexity of tracing foodborne pathogens in the food chain has increased significantly due to the long and complicated chain, the involvement of numerous links, and the presence of various types of pathogens at different stages and environments. Traditional typing techniques are not sufficient to meet the requirements of tracing pathogens in the food chain. Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) has gradually become an important technological tool for characterizing and tracing pathogens in the food chain due to comprehensive information, speed, and superior discriminatory power. This paper provides an overview of the advantages of WGS and its application in foodborne pathogen traceability. This paper focused on foodborne pathogen contamination pathways during the processing of animal foods in commercial restaurant kitchens and the potential contamination of milk, milk powder, and other dairy products by pathogens during processing in the dairy industry chain and environments. Improper handling practices during meat processing (i.e., using cloths, washing hands without soap, and cleaning boards with knives) were a critical point of foodborne pathogen cross-contamination in commercial kitchen premises. However, in dairy products, contamination of pathogens in raw milk was the main cause of foodborne disease outbreaks. Therefore, preventing the contamination of pathogens in food should not only be focused on hygiene measures during processing and in environments but also on the quality and hygiene of raw materials to prevent the spread of foodborne pathogens throughout the entire production chain. Further, Whole-Metagenome Sequencing and DNA sequence markers are considered to be the future direction of WGS. The purpose of this work is to promote the wider application of WGS during the processing of meat and dairy products and provide theoretical support for the rapid investigation and accurate traceability of foodborne pathogen outbreaks in food.

Keywords

• foodborne pathogens
• WGS
• traceability
• food industry
• typing