Ready meals need proper handling at home to prevent illness

Growing consumer appetite for ready-to-eat meals with a minimal preparation time and few preservatives has led to increased production and sales of chilled ready meals. Although the food industry has control measures in place to prevent growth of food poisoning organisms, consumers need to handle these foods properly in order to avoid food-borne illness, according to an article in the February issue of Microbiology Today magazine from the Society for General Microbiology.

Author Dr Mike Peck of the Institute of Food Research, Norwich says, "There is a current trend towards refrigerated processed foods with longer shelf-lives. Modern food packaging under anaerobic atmosphere restricts the growth of most bacteria but could favour the growth of Clostridia bacteria, which can cause botulism and other types of food poisoning.

These bugs produce heat resistant spores that give rise to growth in the absence of oxygen at refrigeration temperatures. Foodborne botulism is caused by ingestion of the botulinum neurotoxin, which is produced during growth of the organism in food. "We probably consume spores of Clostridium botulinum on a regular basis, but they are unable to germinate and produce toxin in the intestines of healthy adults," explains Dr Peck.

"Scientists and technologists have worked hard to ensure that there are very few cases of foodborne botulism, and we are continuing to do so as new foods are developed. However, consumers need to take responsibility too by following manufacturers instructions with regard to use-by-dates, storage temperature and reheating regimes. A motto is ‘if in doubt throw it out,’" says Dr Peck.

Britain could also be at risk from newly emerging Clostridia species. "The occurrence of C. butyricum food poisoning outbreaks overseas indicates a need to evaluate the extent of the issue with regard to food safety in the UK, to enable effective management of critical control points with respect to this pathogen," says Dr Peck.

• The most recent outbreaks of foodborne botulism in the UK were in 1989 and involved hazelnut yoghurt (27 cases, one death) and in 1998 and involved bottled mushrooms (2 cases, one death). Further details of these outbreaks can be found in Table 2 of the article.
  
• The full article can be viewed on the SGM website at www.sgm.ac.uk/qua_main.htm. Alternatively, if you would like to receive a hard copy of Microbiology Today contact Tracey Duncombe at SGM, Marlborough House, Basingstoke Road, Spencers Wood, Reading, RG7 1AG. Tel: +44 (0) 118 988 1843; Fax: +44 (0) 118 988 5656; E-mail: t.duncombe@sgm.ac.uk.
  
• Microbiology Today is the quarterly house magazine of the Society for General Microbiology.
  

• SGM is a registered charity, and is the largest microbiology society in Europe, with over 5,300 members worldwide. The Society provides a common meeting ground for scientists working in research and in fields with applications in microbiology including medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmaceuticals, numerous industries, agriculture, food, the environment and education.
  

• The mission of the Institute of Food Research is to carry out independent basic, and strategic research on food safety, quality, nutrition and health. It is a company limited by guarantee, with charitable status, grant aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
  

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