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National Monitoring Plan for POAO: Data Analysis Report 2022-23

National Monitoring Plan for POAO: Data Analysis Report 2022-23 - Sampling for microbiological contamination

A summary of the microbiological contamination sampling results of imported products of animal origin (POAO) undertaken at UK Border Inspection Posts (BCPs), under the UK’s National Monitoring Plan (NMP), between April 2022 and March 2023.

There were 674 samples from 23 countries taken and checked for the presence of microbiological contamination. There were twenty three non-compliant results identified: one each for Aerobic colony count at 30 ºC for 48h, Coagulase Positive Staphylococci, 5 each for Enterobacteriaceae & Eschericia coli, 3 for Eschericia coli (STEC), one each for Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria species (total), Salmonella species, 3 for Salmonella spp., one for Staphylococcus coagulase + and one for Vibrio species, all from Australia, Chile, China, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam.

The greatest number of microbiological samples were taken from Thailand (192 or 28%), China (114 or 17%), Vietnam (69 or 10%), Indonesia (57 or 8%), Chile (45 or 7%), India (38 or 6%), New Zealand (28 or 4%), Ukraine (10 or 3%) Serbia (19 or 3%), Brazil (17 or 3%), Bangladesh (16 or 2%), Myanmar (16 or 2%) and Australia (13 or 2%). Countries marked with an asterisk in the table are shown together as ‘other’ on the chart.

Figure 7 - Samples taken by country of origin and percentages of total

The greatest number of microbiological samples were taken from Thailand (192 or 28%), China (114 or 17%), Vietnam (69 or 10%), Indonesia (57 or 8%), Chile (45 or 7%), India (38 or 6%), New Zealand (28 or 4%), Ukraine (10 or 3%) Serbia (19 or 3%), Brazil (17 or 3%), Bangladesh (16 or 2%), Myanmar (16 or 2%) and Australia (13 or 2%).
Country of origin Number of samples Percentage
Thailand 192 28
China 114 17
Vietnam 69 10
Indonesia 57 8
Chile 45 7
India 38 6
New Zealand 27 4
Ukraine 19 3
Serbia 19 3
Brazil 17 3
Bangladesh 16 2
Myanmar 16 2
Australia 13 2
South Korea* 9 -
Macedonia* 8 -
United States* 3 -
Turkey* 3 -
Colombia* 2 -
Paraguay* 2 -
South Africa* 2 -
Pakistan* 1 -
Morocco* 1 -
Uruguay* 1 -
Total 674 100%

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Of the samples tested for microbiological contamination, the highest numbers were for Salmonella (122), followed by Enterobacteriaceae (106), Listeria monocytogenes (68), Eschericia coli (67), aerobic microorganisms 30°C (40), Staphylococcus aureus (32) and Clostridium perfringens (26).

Figure 8 - Samples tested for microbiological contamination

Hazard Number of samples
Salmonella spp. 122
Enterobacteriaceae 106
Listeria monocytogenes 68
Eschericia coli 67
Aerobic microorganisms 30°C 40
Staphylococcus aureus 32
Clostridium perfringens 26
Listeria spp (excl L. monocytogenes) 24
Aerobic colony count at 30 ºC for 48h 23
Listeria species (total) 22
Salmonella species 20
Vibrio species 19
Coagulase Positive Staphylococci 17
Campylobacter (C.jejuni, C.coli) 13
Campylobacter spp (excl C. jejuni and C.coli) 8
Eschericia coli (STEC) 8
Staphylococci 8
E. coli 6
Listeria spp 6
Salmonella 6
Staphylococcus coagulase + 6
AHD 5
Vibrio parahaemolyticus 5
Vibrio 4
ACC's 2
Coagulase Positive 2
Listeria species 2
Vibrio vulnificus 2
ß-Glucuronidase Positive Escherichia coli 2
Bacillus cereus 1
Staphylococcal enterotoxins 1
Sterility 1
Total 674