Risk assessment and control measures for Salmonella spp. in the Rwandan meat chain

Salmonellosis constitutes one of the major food borne diseases worldwide. In Rwanda, as in other countries with developing economy, diarrheal diseases including salmonellosis are recognized as the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the population, after malaria. One of the sources of Salmonella infection in humans is the consumption of contaminated meat based-meals. In order to efficiently control the salmonellosis attributable to the consumption of meat based meals in Rwanda, a Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) was undertaken. This exercise required the collection of data on factors associated to the risk of meat contamination by Salmonella at different stages of the chain, from the slaughter to the consumption, and conducted to the construction of a modular risk assessment model representing as much as possible the Rwandan meat chain. The objective of the model was to determine concrete options to mitigate the risk of Salmonella illness associated to the consumption of meat-based meals in Kigali (Rwanda).
Based on the collected data in animal slaughtering establishments, meat cutting and retail points, as well as the households and collective catering establishments in Kigali; a Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment model was built up. The model considered three main risk exposure pathways namely the consumption of bovine meat within the household, the consumption of bovine meat outside the home, as well as the consumption of goat meat (grilled goat brochettes) in snack-bars and restaurants of Kigali.
According to the model, the risk of Salmonella illness associated to the consumption of meat based meals in Kigali city inhabitants appeared to be relatively low (ranging from 1.7 to 3.4% depending of the risk exposure pathway) and was found to be increasing with the meat consumption level in different socio-economical category of the consumers. The risk exposure level of female and young-adult consumers appeared to be significantly low. The analysis of risk mitigation scenario revealed that an efficient control of Salmonella illness associated to the consumption of meat based meals can be achieved through a simultaneous application of control measures at different levels of the meat chain, in particular at the preparation stage within households and collective catering establishments.