Survival and transfer efficacy of mixed strain Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium from beef burgers to abiotic surfaces and determination of individual strain contribution

The aim of the study was to evaluate the survival and transfer efficacy of 3 Salmonella Typhimurium strains from beef burgers to abiotic surfaces and determine the individual strain distribution. S. Typhimurium population on beef burgers during incubation remained constant at initial levels of contamination approximately 3 and 5 log CFU/g. Additionally, the survival of pathogens on soiled HDPE surfaces was significant during incubation at both initial inocula, while ca 1.5 log CFU/cm² reduction was observed at 168h. The log transformed transfer rate (log₁₀Tr) was -1.86±0.23 and -1.75±0.40 for high and low inoculum. The level of initial contamination did not have any statistical important impact on bacterial transfer (P>0.05). In addition, the results regarding the strain contribution revealed rather random individual proportion of each strain, recovered from HDPE, SS surfaces and beef burgers. However, the dominance of each strain was strongly dependent on surface at low inoculum and time in case of high inoculum. This observed strain variability during survival and transfer of S. Typhimurium might be of great importance in order to understand and consequently limit the possibility of cross contamination during food processing in a common household.