Global overview of the risk linked to the Bacillus cereus group in the egg product industry: identification of food safety and food spoilage markers

Aims To evaluate the food safety and spoilage risks associated with psychrotrophic Bacillus cereus group bacteria for the egg product industry and to search for relevant risk markers. Methods and Results A collection of 68 psychrotrophic B.cereus group isolates, coming from pasteurized liquid whole egg products, was analysed through a principal component analysis (PCA) regarding their spoilage and food safety risk potentials. The principal component analysis showed a clear differentiation between two groups within the collection, one half of the isolates representing a safety risk and the other half a spoilage risk. Conclusions Relevant risk markers were highlighted by PCA, that is (i) for the food safety risk, the presence of the specific 16S rDNA-1m genetic signature and the ability to grow at 43 degrees C on solid medium and (ii) for the spoilage risk, the presence of the cspA genetic signature. Significance and Impact of the Study This work represents a first step in the development of new diagnostic technologies for the assessment of the microbiological quality of foods likely to be contaminated with psychrotrophic B.cereus group bacteria.