Parallel testing of surface disinfected larvae indicated that some larvae may be ST-positive due to Salmonella residing on the surface only. However, qualitative testing (10 g) showed the presence of ST in larvae until the end of the experiment on day 14 except for the lowest contamination level of 1.7 log CFU/g. Beyond day 7, only larvae exposed to the contamination level of 7.4 log CFU/g were >1.0 log CFU/g in the triplicate samples. The maximum level of ST detected in individual 1-g larvae samples was 5.8 log CFU/g, but the level varied among the triplicate samples from each sampling, and the highest average value was 5.3 ± 0.3. The level of ST found in larvae was below the quantitative detection level (1 or 2 log CFU/g) on day 1 in larvae exposed to contamination levels of 1.7, 3.4, and 3.6 log CFU/g opposed to contamination levels of 5.4, 5.6, and 7.4 log CFU/g, respectively. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the quantitative level of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) in mealworms over a 14-day course after exposure to substrate contaminated with ST levels from 1.7 to 7.4 log CFU/g at start (i.e., day 0). This indicates that Salmonella may be able to thrive in mealworms if introduced into the production. Still, the bacterial load of mealworms is naturally high and includes members of the Enterobacteriaceae family to which Salmonella belong. Division of Microbiology and Production, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmarkįindings of viable Salmonella spp., which are important foodborne pathogens, are seemingly not reported in mealworms ( Tenebrio molitor) for feed and food.Annette Nygaard Jensen *, Sussie Hjort Hansen and Dorte Lau Baggesen
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