<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0060_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>This study investigated the eggs of Polish-bred edible snails of the <italic>Cornu</italic> genus as a food and aimed to determine the presence of microorganisms in them of the <italic>Salmonella</italic> and <italic>Listeria</italic> genera and ascertain the number of coagulase-positive staphylococci.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0060_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>Raw material, semi-finished products, and the final product were collected during the production cycle. Testing for the presence of <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. and <italic>Listeria</italic> spp. and measuring of the pathogenic staphylococci contamination level were carried out in accordance with ISO standards. Commercial biochemical tests were used for species identification of bacteria of the <italic>Enterobacteriaceae</italic> family and <italic>Staphylococcus</italic> genus. An API kit and a PCR protocol were utilised for species confirmation of the microorganisms of the <italic>Listeria</italic> genus.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0060_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Neither <italic>Salmonella</italic> nor coagulase-positive staphylococci were found in any of the studied material. Bacteria of the <italic>Listeria</italic> genus were found in samples taken at every stage of production; however <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> was confirmed in samples of the final product.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0060_s_008">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The absence of <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. and <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> in samples of the final product indicates that the required hygiene standard was maintained in the production process of edible snail eggs. Nevertheless, the presence of <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> in eggs of common garden snails may pose a potential risk to consumer health.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
This study investigated the eggs of Polish-bred edible snails of the Cornu genus as a food and aimed to determine the presence of microorganisms in them of the Salmonella and Listeria genera and ascertain the number of coagulase-positive staphylococci.

Material and Methods
Raw material, semi-finished products, and the final product were collected during the production cycle. Testing for the presence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. and measuring of the pathogenic staphylococci contamination level were carried out in accordance with ISO standards. Commercial biochemical tests were used for species identification of bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family and Staphylococcus genus. An API kit and a PCR protocol were utilised for species confirmation of the microorganisms of the Listeria genus.

Results
Neither Salmonella nor coagulase-positive staphylococci were found in any of the studied material. Bacteria of the Listeria genus were found in samples taken at every stage of production; however L. monocytogenes was confirmed in samples of the final product.

Conclusion
The absence of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus in samples of the final product indicates that the required hygiene standard was maintained in the production process of edible snail eggs. Nevertheless, the presence of L. monocytogenes in eggs of common garden snails may pose a potential risk to consumer health.

Occurrence of selected pathogenic microorganisms in raw and processed eggs of snails of the <italic>Cornu</italic> genus

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Occurrence of selected pathogenic microorganisms in raw and processed eggs of snails of the  genus

Introduction
This study investigated the eggs of Polish-bred edible snails of the Cornu genus as a food and aimed to determine the presence of microorganisms...

	Raw material	Semi-finished product	Final product “Snail Eggs” (n=10)
CAA (n=10eggs )	4.27 ± 0.01	4.17 ± 0.03	Not
CAM (n=10eggs )	4.29 ± 0.004	4.14 ± 0.03	detected

	Raw material	Semi-finished product	Final product “Snail Eggs” (n=10)
CAA eggs (n=10)	4	8
CAM eggs (n=10)	0	9	8

Occurrence of selected pathogenic microorganisms in raw and processed eggs of snails of the Cornu genus

Article Category: Review article

Published Online: Dec 20, 2021

Page range: 463 - 467

Received: Jul 12, 2021

Accepted: Dec 06, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0060

Keywords
snail eggs, spp., spp., coagulase-positive staphylococci

© 2021 M. Maćkowiak-Dryka et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Level of contamination log10 (CFU/g) with bacteria of the Staphylococcus genus in common garden snail eggs, depending on production stage and origin species

The origin species and number of common garden snail egg samples in which Listeria spp. were detected

Occurrence of selected pathogenic microorganisms in raw and processed eggs of snails of the Cornu genus

Article Category: Review article

Published Online: Dec 20, 2021

Page range: 463 - 467

Received: Jul 12, 2021

Accepted: Dec 06, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0060

Keywordssnail eggs, spp., spp., coagulase-positive staphylococci

© 2021 M. Maćkowiak-Dryka et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Level of contamination log10 (CFU/g) with bacteria of the Staphylococcus genus in common garden snail eggs, depending on production stage and origin species

The origin species and number of common garden snail egg samples in which Listeria spp. were detected

Keywords
snail eggs, spp., spp., coagulase-positive staphylococci