000128074 001__ 128074 000128074 005__ 20250923084409.0 000128074 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1016/j.foodcont.2023.110079 000128074 0248_ $$2sideral$$a135250 000128074 037__ $$aART-2024-135250 000128074 041__ $$aeng 000128074 100__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-1417-272X$$aGracia, M.J. 000128074 245__ $$aToxoplasma gondii in Spanish commercial dry-cured meat products 000128074 260__ $$c2024 000128074 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted 000128074 5203_ $$aToxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, the transmission of which has usually been attributed to ingestion of undercooked or raw meat. Epidemiological studies also mention cured meat products as a potential risk factor for acquiring toxoplasmosis. With the aim of contributing to the risk assessment process, 552 samples of commercial dry-cured hams/shoulders and dry-cured sausages of different trademarks from different localities in Spain were randomly purchased for analysis. These were, specifically, 311 dry-cured hams/shoulders and 241 dry-cured sausages (76 samples of chorizo, 75 samples of fuet/longaniza, and 90 samples of salchichón). Additionally, data featured on labels of each meat product were gathered with the purpose of studying the influence of curing time and salt content, among other parameters, on the viability of Toxoplasma. Real-time polymerase chain reaction technique (qPCR) was performed to detect T. gondii DNA in the samples, and infectivity was determined by mouse bioassay of positive qPCR samples. The presence of T. gondii was detected in 57 samples (10.3%), with a parasite load between 28.05 and 35.66 Ct. Bioassay test showed that 47 out of the 57 meat products in which the parasite has been detected produced mice seropositive response (IFA), which represents 8.5 of the total number of samples analyzed. Of those samples, DNA of Toxoplasma gondii in mice brain was detected in 6 meat products, indicating its viability (1.1%). Ct values obtained by qPCR in the brains of seropositive mice ranged from 33.10 to 36.04. According to product type, the parasite was viable in 3 dry-cured ham/shoulder samples and in 3 salchichón samples. Statistical analysis showed that none of the variables under consideration detailed on the meat product labels had a significant influence on the viability of the parasite. In conclusion, we found a low prevalence of the infective forms of Toxoplasma gondii in cured meat products, although the risk for consumers cannot be completely excluded. However, scientific monitoring of commercial meat products continues to be necessary in order to provide data for risk assessment of Toxoplasma gondii through the meat industry's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP-based self-control system). In order to ensure that consumers can make a safe choice among these ready-to-eat products, it is important for food labels to include information on those parameters which are relevant for the survival of the parasite, such as curing times, or freezing treatment of meat used as an ingredient. 000128074 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/INIA/RTA2014-00024-C04-02 000128074 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby-nc$$uhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/es/ 000128074 590__ $$a6.3$$b2024 000128074 592__ $$a1.265$$b2024 000128074 591__ $$aFOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY$$b24 / 181 = 0.133$$c2024$$dQ1$$eT1 000128074 593__ $$aFood Science$$c2024$$dQ1 000128074 593__ $$aBiotechnology$$c2024$$dQ1 000128074 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 000128074 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-2675-6706$$aNieto, P. 000128074 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-6460-1388$$aLázaro, R.$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000128074 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-1204-4356$$aDe Blas, I.$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000128074 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-1668-4940$$aBayarri, S.$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000128074 7102_ $$12008$$2640$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali.$$cÁrea Nutrición Bromatología 000128074 7102_ $$11009$$2773$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Patología Animal$$cÁrea Sanidad Animal 000128074 773__ $$g155 (2024), 110079 [7 pp.]$$pFood control$$tFood Control$$x0956-7135 000128074 8564_ $$s486522$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/128074/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada 000128074 8564_ $$s2501987$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/128074/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada 000128074 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:128074$$particulos$$pdriver 000128074 951__ $$a2025-09-22-14:29:17 000128074 980__ $$aARTICLE