Inactivation of parasite transmission stages: Efficacy of treatments on food of animal origin

Background: One third of parasitic outbreaks with known source in the US are attributable to food of animal origin (FoAO). Among 24 foodborne parasites ranked by FAO/WHO, 14 are associated with FoAO. Management of these biological hazards is essential for food safety. Scope and approach: Control measures to inactivate the 12 most relevant parasites in FoAO are evaluated, including cooking, freezing, curing, and traditionally applied food-processing techniques, as well as high-pressure treatment and irradiation. Key findings and conclusions: How inactivation is determined may affect results, however efficacy of freezing and heating depends on parasite species and developmental stage, as well as temperature and time conditions. Cooking at core temperature 60–75 °C for 15–30 min inactivates parasites in most matrices. Freezing at −21 °C for 1–7 days generally inactivates parasites in FoAO, but cannot be relied upon in home situations. Parasitic stages are sensitive to 2–5% NaCl, often augmented by lowering pH. Gamma irradiation at >0.1–0.5 kGy is effective for fish parasites, except Anisakis (10 kGy); >0.4–6.5 kGy control meatborne parasites. More research is needed to investigate and improve irradiation technologies using sustainable energy sources. Literature data are diverse and insufficient to model survival as response to treatment. Research on foodborne parasites should be improved to standardize experimental approaches for evaluation of inactivation techniques and methods to monitor inactivation.