Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meat
Botulism in Nunavik, Quebec is associated with the consumption of aged marine mammal meat and fat. The objective was to identify meat handling practices presenting a risk of contamination of seal meat with C. botulinum. Potential sources of contamination were assessed through interviews with igunaq ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2017-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1380994 |
| _version_ | 1811230440962392064 |
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| author | Daniel Leclair Jeffrey M. Farber Franco Pagotto Sandy Suppa Bill Doidge John W. Austin |
| author_facet | Daniel Leclair Jeffrey M. Farber Franco Pagotto Sandy Suppa Bill Doidge John W. Austin |
| author_sort | Daniel Leclair |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Botulism in Nunavik, Quebec is associated with the consumption of aged marine mammal meat and fat. The objective was to identify meat handling practices presenting a risk of contamination of seal meat with C. botulinum. Potential sources of contamination were assessed through interviews with igunaq producers from five communities of Nunavik. These sources were verified by detection and isolation of C. botulinum from igunaq prepared in the field from seal carcasses. Interviews indicated practices presenting a risk for contamination included: placing meat or fat on coastal rocks, using seawater for rinsing, and ageing meat in inverted seal skin pouches. Although the presence of C. botulinum type E spores was detected in only two of 32 (6.3%) meat or fat samples collected during the butchering process, two of four igunaq preparations from these samples contained type E botulinum toxin. Analysis of C. botulinum type E isolates recovered from these preparations indicated that shoreline soil may be a source of contamination. Seal meat and fat may be contaminated with C. botulinum type E during the butchering process. Measures can be adopted to reduce the risks of contamination in the field and possibly decrease the incidence of type E botulism in Nunavik. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:29:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-528b7deee2d848b499de899faf1c896c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2242-3982 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:29:19Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-528b7deee2d848b499de899faf1c896c2022-12-22T03:36:53ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Circumpolar Health2242-39822017-01-0176110.1080/22423982.2017.13809941380994Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meatDaniel Leclair0Jeffrey M. Farber1Franco Pagotto2Sandy Suppa3Bill Doidge4John W. Austin5Health Products and Food Branch, Health CanadaHealth Products and Food Branch, Health CanadaHealth Products and Food Branch, Health CanadaMakivik CorporationMakivik CorporationHealth Products and Food Branch, Health CanadaBotulism in Nunavik, Quebec is associated with the consumption of aged marine mammal meat and fat. The objective was to identify meat handling practices presenting a risk of contamination of seal meat with C. botulinum. Potential sources of contamination were assessed through interviews with igunaq producers from five communities of Nunavik. These sources were verified by detection and isolation of C. botulinum from igunaq prepared in the field from seal carcasses. Interviews indicated practices presenting a risk for contamination included: placing meat or fat on coastal rocks, using seawater for rinsing, and ageing meat in inverted seal skin pouches. Although the presence of C. botulinum type E spores was detected in only two of 32 (6.3%) meat or fat samples collected during the butchering process, two of four igunaq preparations from these samples contained type E botulinum toxin. Analysis of C. botulinum type E isolates recovered from these preparations indicated that shoreline soil may be a source of contamination. Seal meat and fat may be contaminated with C. botulinum type E during the butchering process. Measures can be adopted to reduce the risks of contamination in the field and possibly decrease the incidence of type E botulism in Nunavik.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1380994Clostridium botulinumenvironmentArcticmarine mammalsporemeat handling |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Leclair Jeffrey M. Farber Franco Pagotto Sandy Suppa Bill Doidge John W. Austin Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meat International Journal of Circumpolar Health Clostridium botulinum environment Arctic marine mammal spore meat handling |
| title | Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meat |
| title_full | Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meat |
| title_fullStr | Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meat |
| title_short | Tracking sources of Clostridium botulinum type E contamination in seal meat |
| title_sort | tracking sources of clostridium botulinum type e contamination in seal meat |
| topic | Clostridium botulinum environment Arctic marine mammal spore meat handling |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1380994 |
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