Monthly Archives: May 2012

Use of Microbiological Indicators for Assessing Hygiene Controls for the Manufacture of Powdered Infant Formula

Posted on May 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Ingenta

Microbiological testing for various indicator microorganisms is used extensively as a means of verifying the effectiveness of efforts to ensure the microbiological quality and safety of a wide variety of foods. However, for each use of an indicator organism the underlying scientific assumptions related to the behaviour of the target microorganism, the characteristics of the food matrix, the details of the food manufacturing processes, environment, and distribution system, and the methodological basis for the assay must be evaluated to determine the validity, utility, and efficacy of potential microbiological indicator tests. The recent adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission of microbiological criteria for powdered infant formulae and related products provides an excellent example of an evidence-based approach for the establishment of consensus microbiological criteria. The present article reviews these criteria and those of various national governments in relation to emerging principles for the evidence-based establishment of effective indicator organisms.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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Oyster Sauce – From China – Staphylococcus saprophyticus

Posted on May 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

Staphylococcus – coagulase negative (Staphylococcus saprophyticus) in oyster sauce from China, via Poland

   
Reference :2012.0605  
Notification date :02/05/2012  
Last update :02/05/2012  
Notification type : food  –  information for follow-up  –  consumer complaint  
Action taken : withdrawal from the market  
Notification from : CZECH REPUBLIC (CZ)  
Distribution status :information on distribution not (yet) available  
Product :oyster sauce  
Product category :soups, broths, sauces and condiments  
Follow-up :

Reference Follow-up from Date Follow-up type Info
Hazards :

Substance / Hazard Category Analytical result Units Sampling date
Staphylococcus – coagulase negative pathogenic micro-organisms Staphylococcus saprophyticus    
Distributed to :

| CZECH REPUBLIC  |
Origin :

| CHINA | POLAND  (VIA)  |

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Norway – Vietnamese Products Recall High E.coli Levels

Posted on May 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

High count of Escherichia coli (100; 430; 420 CFU/g) in chilled cocksomb mint from Vietnam.

RASFF

High count of Escherichia coli (140; 180; 250 CFU/g) in chilled houttuynia from Vietnam

 

 

 

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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FDA Recall – Ready Meals – Uncooked Chicken Liver -Salmonella

Posted on May 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FDA

H-E-B has issued a voluntary and precautionary recall for certain Asian Ready-to-Eat meals due to the possibility of undercooked chicken in those meals.  There have been no confirmed illnesses reported related to this precautionary recall.   However, undercooked chicken has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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New Zealand Hummus Recall – Listeria

Posted on May 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Press NZ

A popular brand of hummus has been recalled because it may contain a bug which can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting. Life Health Food (LHF) announced yesterday that they were recalling Lisa’s Organic Hummus Roasted Garlic dip with an expiry date of May 11 2012, because it had tested positive for listeria during routine testing. Listeria is a bacteria which can cause the serious illness listeriosis, symptoms of which can include fever, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting.

About 300 tubs of the hummus have already been sold, virtually all in the South Island.

There have been no reports of illness as of yet, but consumers who felt unwell after eating the product were advised to seek medical advice.

 

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USDA – New Traceback Policy for Ground Beef

Posted on May 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety, announced in a press conference on May 2, 2012 that the government is changing its traceback policy for contaminated beef that test positive for shiga-toxin producing E. colibacteria (STEC).

“Our keys goals are to strengthen our ability to protect consumers and to bolster prevention-based public safeguards,” she said. “We are going to use traceback policies as a proactive measure, launching the investigations earlier to identify contaminated products before they reach consumers.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Research, USDA

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Australia Spices Recall – Salmonella

Posted on May 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The NSW Food Authority advises:

Euro Spices Pty Ltd is recalling their ground coriander and other mixed spices sold in fruit and vegetable shops and independent supermarkets in NSW.

The products are being recalled due to Salmonella. Salmonella bacteria may cause illness including headache, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea if consumed.

The recalled products are:

  • Coriander Ground 50g resealable bag
  • Coriander Ground 70g plastic jar
  • Almond Dukkah 50g resealable bag
  • Almond Dukkah 100g glass jar
  • Dukka Pistachio 100g glass jar
  • Kofta Bahari 60g resealable bag
  • Kabse Mix 60g resealable bag
  • Dolma Bahari 60g resealable bag
  • Shawarma 60g resealable bag
  • Ras El Hanoot 60g resealable bag
  • Harissa 60g resealable bag
  • Lebanese 7 Spices 50g resealable bag
  • Biryani 60g resealable bag

The recall applies only to resealable bags with date marking ‘Best Before’ December 2015 and jars with ‘Best Before’ 12\2015.

Consumers should not consume these products. Consumers can return the products to the place of purchase for a refund.

Anyone concerned with potential health effects of the products should seek medical advice.

For more information telephone Euro Spices Pty Ltd  on 02 9771 3411

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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USDA – New Food Safety Initiatives

Posted on May 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Journal

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a series of policy measures that will better protect consumers from foodborne illness in meat and poultry products. These measures will significantly improve the ability of both plants and USDA to trace contaminated food materials in the supply chain, to act against contaminated products sooner, and to establish the effectiveness of food safety systems.

Some of these actions include:

• Zero tolerance policy for six Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serogroups. Raw ground beef, its components, and tenderized steaks found to contain E. coli O26, O103, O45, O111, O121 or O145 will be prohibited from sale to consumers. USDA will launch a testing program to detect these dangerous pathogens and prevent them from reaching consumers.

• Test and hold policy that will significantly reduce consumer exposure to unsafe meat products, should the policy become final, because products cannot be released into commerce until Agency test results for dangerous contaminants are known.

• Labelling requirements that provide better information to consumers about their food by requiring nutrition information for single-ingredient raw meat and poultry products and ground or chopped products.

• Public Health Information System, a modernised, comprehensive database about public health trends and food safety violations at the nearly 6,100 plants FSIS regulates.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, USDA

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258 Cases in the US Sushi Salmonella Outbreak to Date

Posted on May 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

  • Based on an epidemiologic link and results of laboratory testing, CDC has combined this Salmonella Bareilly investigation with an ongoing multistate outbreak investigation of Salmonella serotype Nchanga infections. The two associated PFGE patterns have been grouped together as the “outbreak strains.”
  • A total of 258 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Bareilly (247 persons) or SalmonellaNchanga (11 persons) have been reported from 24 states and the District of Columbia.
    • 32 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
  • Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, from Moon Marine USA Corporation is the likely source of this outbreak.
  • Consumers should not eat the recalled product, and retailers should not serve the recalled raw Nakaochi Scrape tuna product from Moon Marine USA Corporation.
  • This investigation is ongoing. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing surveillance to identify new cases.

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

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FSA – Pepsico Recall Microbial Contamination

Posted on May 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA

PepsiCo is recalling some of its Tropicana Kids Orange Juice Drink multi-packs because they contain only water rather than the orange juice blend. The water is affected by microbiological contamination. If you have bought the product, don’t drink it. The Agency has issued a Product Recall Information Notice.

The product being recalled is:

  • Tropicana Kids Orange Juice Drink, multipack 4 x 200ml
  • No batch or date codes, no branding

PepsiCo has recalled the affected product. Customer notices have been displayed in stores, explaining why the product has been recalled.

If you have bought the affected product, don’t drink it. You can return it for a full refund to Tropicana:
Tropicana Consumer Care
Freepost LE4 918
Leicester LE4 5ZY

No other PepsiCo products are known to be affected.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Standards Agency, Microbiology, Recall

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