Pathogens-in-Foods Database: A Web Application for Assessing the Occurrence Data of Microbiological Hazards in Foods Marketed in Europe

Abstract

: Pathogens-in-Foods (PIF) is a dynamic database constructed upon systematic literature 21 searches of occurrence data (prevalence and enumeration) of important pathogenic agents ( Bacillus 22 cereus , Campylobacter spp., Clostridium perfringens , Listeria monocytogenes , Salmonella spp., Shiga 23 toxin-producing Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Yersinia enterocolitica , Cryptosporidium spp., 24 Giardia spp., Toxoplasma gondii , Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis E virus and Norovirus) in foods ran-25 domly surveyed across Europe. After filtering the primary studies, these are screened for relevance 26 and methodological quality, and the data are extracted into the PIF database following a systematic categorisation of microbiological methods, food types and outcomes. The database is accessible through a web application (https://fsqa.esa.ipb.pt/) that facilitates data retrieval according to sev-29 eral relevant variables. PIF spans data published from 2000 onwards and is intended for use by researchers and food authorities after meta-analysis, in microbiological risk assessment.