Monthly Archives: May 2012

US – E.coli STEC Strains Testing to Start Monday?

Posted on May 31, 2012 by | 1 comment

Vitals MSNBC

Barring any last-minute delays, U.S. food safety inspectors will begin testing Monday for six new strains of potentially deadly E. coli bacteria to be banned from certain cuts of raw beef.

The move implements long-delayed federal regulations aimed at a group of E. coli bacteria collectively known as “the Big Six,” bugs capable of causing severe infection and death.

Under the new rules, the six additional strains of E. coli will be classified as adulterants on par with the better-known E. coli O157:H7, which is often linked to serious illnesses tied to hamburger. The new strains include E. coli O26, O111, O103, O121, O45 and O145.

Meat producers such as Cargill Inc., who have long opposed expanded testing, said they are ready to begin.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O26, EHEC, FDA, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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Illicit Shellfish Trade Risking Health of Thousands?

Posted on May 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Independant

The illicit and highly-lucrative trade in shellfish is putting the health of many thousands of people at risk with tonnes of potentially contaminated seafood feared to be entering the food chain.

Health officials and food watchdogs are concerned that a boom in the illegal harvesting of cockles, clams and oysters for sale to restaurants and wholesalers threatens outbreaks of serious food poisoning.

The thriving seafood rustling industry, which sees unlicensed gangs of pickers target beaches and mudflats across the country to steal molluscs worth thousands of pounds at a time, has prompted a crackdown by the authorities. But with some pickers operating in organised gangs, fisheries protection bodies say they lack the resources to effectively tackle the problem.

With an annual value of at least £250m, the legitimate shellfish industry is a major part of Britain’s food economy. Properly gathered molluscs are subject to strict purification treatments, including ultra-violet light and filtering, to ensure they are fit for human consumption.

Full Story through the link above.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Research

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RASFF Reports – Salmonella – Aflatoxins

Posted on May 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella in Betel (Paan) Leaves from Bangladesh

RASFF – Salmonella paratyphi B in Mechanically separated frozen poultry meat, from the Netherlands.

RASFF – Aflatoxins in Peanuts in shell from China.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF

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Philipines 200 + Foodborne Illness Outbreak

Posted on May 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Manila Times 

BALANGA CITY, Bataan: The Provincial Health Office on Monday announced that it has conducted outbreak investigations on 122 victims of food poisoning and 117 persons struck down by diarrhea in Limay, Bataan and Balanga City in separate occasions on Tuesday to Thursday last week.

Dr. Rosanna Buccahan, acting Provincial Health Officer, said they are waiting for the results of rectal swab to be known in two weeks and stool culture in one week to determine the cause or causes that affected the victims.

“We are waiting for results of the random rectal swab and stool culture from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Metro Manila after the PHO in coordination with the Regional Epidemiology Research Center and the Department of Health conducted the tests,” she said.

Buccahan said that 117 inmates of the Bataan District Jail in Balanga City suffered from diarrhea Tuesday last week while 25 people were victimized by food poisoning after eating egg rolls (lumpia) during a funeral in Limay last Thursday. Ninety-seven, mostly children, were downed by food poisoning after eating dirty ice cream in Barangay Cabog-Cabog in Balanga last Wednesday

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Turks and Caicos – 150 Possible Norovirus

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Sun

More than 150 persons have been affected with gastroenteritis and sought medical attention in the Turks and Caicos Islands since the end of April 2012, according to health officials investigating the mysterious sickness that has affected about 12 hotels on the island of Providenciales.
 

The officials also reported they recently have discovered one case of norovirus, but they noted that this virus cannot be confirmed as the cause of the current outbreak of diarrhea and vomiting.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

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China 100 Sick – Braised Chicken

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

China Daily

SHIJIAZHUANG – Nearly 100 people fell sick due to eating suspected contaminated chicken in North China’s Hebei province, local authorities said Sunday.

A total of 97 people in Quyang county of Baoding city have been hospitalized since Friday. Among them, two people have checked out of the hospital, one is critically ill and the others are in stable condition, officials with the county government said.

A preliminary investigation shows that the illness is caused by a certain braised chicken produced by the local Dalong braised chicken store.

The store has been closed down and the owner of the store is under police control. A further investigation into the incident is underway.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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FSA Report – Increased Food Incidents

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA

The Food Standards Agency saw an increase in the number of food incidents it investigated last year. These included reports of contaminated or illegal food entering the food chain, with some potentially harmful to the public.

According to the Annual Report of Incidents 2011 published today, 1,714 food incidents were investigated by the FSA last year, compared to 1,505 in 2010. This is a further increase on the 1,208 incidents reported in 2009.

No single reason has been identified for the increasing number. The FSA believes a combination of factors is behind the rise, but the most likely is improved monitoring and reporting.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

Jensen Farms – Cantelope Listeria Outbreak – Bankrupt

Posted on May 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Denver Post 

Jensen Farms, the southeastern Colorado cantaloupe growers who were the source of a deadly listeria outbreak last year, filed for bankruptcy Friday.

Lawsuits from the outbreak, which caused at least 32 deaths and dozens of hospitalizations, are prominent in the filing. Attorneys for Jensen Farms and for wrongful-death plaintiffs welcomed the step.

Jensen Farms did not comment.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Research

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Scotland E.coli O157 Extends to 9 Cases

Posted on May 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Scottish Sun

Three tots confirmed to have the bug were yesterday treated in hospital, with one released.

Infection experts are trying to track down the source of the sickness and diarrhoea viral outbreak which hit the under-twos section at Rose Lodge Nursery in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

NHS Grampian said health protection teams found “reasonable” food hygiene and infection control at the unit.

A spokeswoman added: “Control measures are in place. An inspection has been carried out and an incident team convened.” The nursery, which has 40 pupils, first reported the virus on Sunday.

Experts say E.coli poses the biggest risk to under-fives.

Owner Julie Grant said: “We have taken the advice to close our Baby Room until further notice.

“The nursery remains open to unaffected families of children over two years old.

“We have a high standard of hygiene and rigorous infection control procedures. Our thoughts are with the children and families affected.”

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/4339264/Nine-tots-hit-by-ecoli-outbreak-at-nursery.html#ixzz1w9Eekiw4

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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Scotland – Three Children Hospitalised E.coli O157

Posted on May 25, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Scotsman

THREE infants were being treated in hospital last night following a suspected E coli 0157 outbreak linked to the baby unit at a nursery school.

NHS Grampian confirmed that infection control specialists at the health authority are investigating two confirmed cases and four suspected cases of potentially deadly E coli O157 infection in children who attend Rose Lodge Nursery School in Aboyne, Royal Deeside.

The baby unit at the nursery school has been closed while investigations continue to identify the source of the bug. The garden in the grounds of the nursery in the heart of the village has also been declared out of bounds to the children but the nursery remains open.

The three children who have been admitted to hospital were all being cared for in the baby unit. There are a total of 40 children at the nursery, which takes children from six weeks up to the age of five.

NHS Grampian stressed yesterday the investigation to pinpoint a possible source for the bug was not focused solely on the nursery and that other potential sources of infection in the predominantly rural area were also being looked at.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen