Cross-contamination and recontamination by Salmonella in foods: A review

The presence of Salmonella in foodstuffs represents an internationally accepted human health concern. Although Salmonella causes many foodborne disease outbreaks, there is little evidence to support cross-contamination as a major contributing factor. However, the paramount importance of preventing cross-contamination and recontamination in assuring the safety of foodstuffs is well known. Sources and factors linked to cross-contamination and recontamination of Salmonella in foods are reviewed in detail. Those foods which are not submitted to lethal treatment at the end of processing or which do not receive further treatment in the home deserves special attention. Salmonella cross-contamination and recontamination episodes have been connected to the following factors: poor sanitation practices, poor equipment design, and deficient control of ingredients. We also examine potential cross-contamination in the home. Cross-contamination and recontamination events at factory level evidence the difficulty encountered for eradicating this pathogen from the environment and facilities, highlighting the need to reinforce industry preventive control measures such as appropriate and standardized sanitation. Also, at consumer level, Public Health Authorities should install hygiene education programs in order to raise consumer awareness of the risks of cross-contamination in the home and their role in its prevention. Finally, a review on cross-contamination models of Salmonella spp. is presented.