Experiment on 12 hamburgers: anti-biotic bacteria emerge between quality and hygiene | The Lifesaver

Specific assays to assess antibiotic resistance of bacteria present in meat: tests never performed in the supply chain.In 4 samples, microbes "penetrate" the drug's armor and manipulate it.All results in the new issue on newsstands and digitally

Special analysis for measuring the resistance of bacteria present in meat: Inspection of materials not followed.In four samples, the microorganisms managed to "pierce" the drug's veil.All results are published in new issues of the magazine and digitally

Forget the weird burger.The concern is not the general hygiene of the meat analyzed by Salvagente but the appearance of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, whose simple cooking will not be effective.In other words, just killing them won't be enough.

Our analysis revealed - in four out of twelve samples: all the results published in the new issue of the newspaper and digitally Salvagent - the presence of microorganisms that are able to pierce the pharmaceutical shield of drugs that are commonly used to treat diseases caused by these same bacteria.

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Let's immediately clarify some aspects of our results: all hamburgers brought to the laboratory comply with the rules and manufacturers are not obliged to assess the possible resistance of bacteria in their products to antibiotics.Especially for this reason our test has even more research value: not only does it show that 30% of the analyzed meat has resistance to "unwanted" drugs, but also that the controls along the supply chain are broken and it is never obligatory to subject the detected bacteria to an antibiogram to understand in which classes the antibiotic can still work.If the pharmaceutical component is carried out on farms and slaughterhouses, the final part of the supply chain, namely the preparation and packaging of meat for sale to the consumer, does not include any analysis in the inspections.

We tested beef burgers from the following companies: Aia, Casa Vercelli, Carrefour, Conad, Coop, Esselunga, Eurospin, Gram, Jubatti, Lidl, Pam and Todis

The "hole" in control is even more alarming if we consider that in our country antibiotic resistance causes, according to the latest data published by AIFA, the Italian Medicines Agency, 12,000 deaths per year, and in most regions drug resistance is increasing for some important microorganisms such as Escherichia coli.It is easy to say where these "changes" that make bacteria stronger than drugs come from: excessive use of antibiotics, especially in pediatric age, increasing consumption even in hospital conditions and pressure on farms, where the use of preventive prophylaxis (giving drugs even to healthy animals) over the years has "selected" microorganisms, which are now able to overcome pharmacological protection and possibly end up in our bodies.

The most serious resistance found by Salvagente is related to the presence of positive beta-glucuronidase and Escherichia coli staphylococci in some hamburgers, which can "survive" modern drugs widely used in these cases, such as cephalosporins, a class of beta-lactam drugs.

In the Terre d'Italia hamburger from Carrefour we identified the presence of staphylococci that in resistance tests were found to be able to overcome the barrier of 5 antibiotics including cephalosporins and macrolides.A similar story happened with Lidl's Chianina burger: the type of staphylococcus found was found to be resistant to four types of antibiotics (and 1 identified as macrolides) Escherichia coli was able to overcome the defense of two antibiogram drugs. Even in "meatballs" Gram and Our Eurospin detected the resistance of staphylococci to some macrolides.

How do you defend yourself?Cook the meat well, even inside.And if it is true that most packers remember to cook the hamburger properly, this type of meat is often rarely enjoyed by consumers.A choice that, given our results, must surely be questioned.The sins of our meat end with the aspect of resistance to antibiotics, because from a hygienic point of view, except for three cases in which the guidelines taken as a reference were slightly exceeded, they show an averagely good standard of food safety.Even from a nutritional point of view, the ratio between collagen and proteins never exceeds 15%, a limit beyond which the quality of meat protein is poor.

What we have tested in the laboratory

Twelve burgers, mostly skin-on, ie.vacuum-filled and sold on the refrigerator table, are eligible for testing.To reach a final opinion, we considered microbiological analysis, potential antibiotics to assess resistance to known and detected antibiotics, and collagen/protein ratio to assess meat quality.

Number of meat

The proportion of raw beef in our burgers varies from a minimum of 82% (Casa Vercelli) to a maximum of 100% (Pam Tesori dell'Arca).All preparations, with the exception of the Pam product, contain additives in the recipe (see special article on the following pages) that give the meat consistency, binds and preserves it best.Less meat often means more "foreign" ingredients compared to the classic "Meatball".Some manufacturers indicate the origin, always Italy, even if it is a meat-based preparation, indicating the origin of the raw material is not mandatory.

The analysis carried out in a certified laboratory includes the evaluation of various microorganisms: the good news is that, according to the law, all twelve products are free of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.To assess the hygienic condition of our samples, we also looked for anaerobic bacteria, staphylococci, E. coli, enterobacteria, coliforms and bacillus cereus (not always present): to interpret the results, where applicable, we took the manual Ceirsa, research of the Interdepartmental Safety Center and Research.In one case we recorded an excess (270 CFU/g, colony forming units per gram) of guidelines for staphylococci (less than 100 CFU/g).In the other two cases we recorded mean concentrations of anaerobic bacteria slightly above the threshold (110 and 120 CFU/g, respectively).More than quantity, the "quality" of the bacteria makes a difference in this test: if the presence of microorganisms is confirmed on the device, we take the "microorganism" to antibiotics to evaluate the resistance of the 23 types of antibiotics that doctors commonly prescribe for bacterial infections.

Known and unknown antibiotic resistance

In some cases, the antibiogram shows us the plates of drugs that are unfair of treatment in the bactoria found in the course of view.However, some of these drugs is not famous for the disease of this type (the technicians describes us to. Colic with aspiphinn,serious trees for keeping those patients.A case of preventing antibiotic in each case, if no hamburger's duty of the hamburger, healthy welfare policies are needed for a long time.

succulent

To evaluate it, we take the standard measure of the ratio between collagen and protein which in minced meat (not hamburger described as "meat preparations") should not exceed 15%.The majority of collagen (a protein found in the joints of animals), less protein of meat, because this component is not rich in essential amino acids. Therefore, it is not compared to protein.Meat. We are talking about connective tissue, the "layer" of nerves, which risks making "meat" in the hardest when it is cooked.The ingredients used in our burgers are very different and none exceed 15%: however there are many differences in our 12 products.

How we made estimates and limits in consideration

The hygiene evaluation (microbiological analysis results) contributed 50% of the final mark;the percentage of meat used for 20% and the quality of the meat (collagen/protein ratio) for 30%.

Increasing the guidelines on hygiene parameters reduces the partial rating to moderate, to moderate if the margin of error is exceeded.The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria causes amputation

of the judgment.

Legal restrictions:

Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes: not present.

Guidelines followed:

Anaerobic sulfite-reducing bacteria: <100 CFU/G;

Coagulase positive staphylococci: <100 CFU/g;

E..A GLUCRUCIRAIDER FREE: <500 Cfu / g.

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