Monthly Archives: February 2015

Europe – EFSA – Antimicrobial Resistance

Posted on February 6, 2015 by | Leave a comment

EFSA efsa

Antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, are substances used to kill micro-organisms or to stop them from growing and multiplying. They are commonly used in human and veterinary medicine to treat a wide variety of infectious diseases.

Antimicrobial resistance refers to the ability of micro-organisms to withstand antimicrobial treatments. The overuse or misuse of antibiotics has been linked to the emergence and spread of micro-organisms which are resistant to them, rendering treatment ineffective and posing a serious risk to public health. A well known example of a bacterium that has acquired resistance to multiple antibiotics is Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Resistant bacteria can spread through many routes. When antimicrobial resistance occurs in zoonotic bacteria present in animals and food it can also compromise the effective treatment of infectious diseases in humans.

In the field of food safety, policy-makers need to protect consumers from risks related to the food chain and to establish the best control options to reduce such risks. Scientists and risk assessors are examining the factors which may lead to the presence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in food and animals to provide appropriate scientific advice to decision-makers.

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USA – Texas – Listeria in Apples Update

Posted on February 4, 2015 by | Leave a comment

TEXAS DSH

Multi-state Listeria Outbreak – Feb. 2, 2015

Due to a recent California apple recall, consumers should not eat any recalled Granny Smith and Gala apples produced by Bidart Bros., and retailers should not sell or serve them.

Also, consumers should not eat any commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples. Public health officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis possibly linked to these products. Listeria can cause a serious, life-threatening illness.

In Texas, there are four associated cases, including two deaths. It is unclear if the listeria infection contributed to the deaths. All cases were hospitalized and had pre-existing conditions. Anyone who believes they may have become ill with listeriosis should contact their health care provider. Symptoms vary but can include fever, muscle aches, headache, diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

FDA link to information on the recall: www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm427573.htm#consumers

CDC link to information on the outbreak: www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/caramel-apples-12-14/index.html

General information about Listeria: www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/listeriosis/

 

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USA- FDA Recall – Raw Macadamia Nuts – Salmonella

Posted on February 4, 2015 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Whole Foods Market is recalling packaged raw macadamia nuts due to possible Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is 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.

The product was labelled as “Whole Foods Market Raw Macadamia Nuts” and was packaged in 5.6 oz. plastic tubs. The recalled products have sell-by dates of 4/22/15, 5/4/15 and 5/6/15 and a UPC code of 7-23055-21415-3. The recalled product was distributed to Whole Foods Market, Greenlife Grocery, and Harry’s Farmers Market stores in AL, GA, MS, NC, SC and TN.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

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USA – CDC List of Foodborne Outbreaks

Posted on February 3, 2015 by | Leave a comment

CDC E.coli O157

When two or more people get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink, the event is called a foodborne disease outbreak. The list on this page primarily represents multistate foodborne outbreak investigations since 2006 where CDC was the lead public health agency. For a complete listing of reported outbreaks please use the Foodborne Outbreak Online Database (FOOD) tool.

Public health officials investigate outbreaks to control them, so more people do not get sick, and to learn how to prevent similar outbreaks from happening in the future.

List of Selected Outbreak Investigations, by Year

2014

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USA- Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on February 2, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Salmonella outbreak in Dahlhart, Texas has sickened at least a dozen people some of whom have been hospitalized. Health officials have not yet determined the source of the outbreak which began several weeks ago.

Symptoms of a Salmonella infection usually develop between 12 and 72 hours after exposure and last up to a week. They include diarrhea, which can be bloody, nausea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps. Dehydration is a risk. In a small percentage of cases, the infection travels to the bloodstream producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.

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USA – Listeria Outbreak in Bean Sprout Report

Posted on February 2, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The investigation of the deadly bean sprout Listeria outbreak began with a routine inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The outbreak, which began last summer was, was linked to bean sprouts from Wholesome Soy in Chicago. Five people in Michigan and Illinois were sickened. Two of them died.

On August 12, the FDA went to Wholesome Soy’s Chicago facility for a routine inspection that would last through September 3, 2014. They found Listeria in sprouts  and in irrigation water. After whole genome sequencing tests revealed that the Listeria strains found at Wholesome Soy were highly related to the strain isolated from five people who became ill, FDA investigators returned to the plant.

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Research – Inactivation of a Foodborne Norovirus Outbreak Strain with Non-thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

Posted on February 2, 2015 by | Leave a comment

American Society of Microbiology

Human norovirus (NoV) is the most frequent cause of epidemic nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis worldwide. We investigated the impact of nonthermal or cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) on the inactivation of a clinical human outbreak NoV, GII.4. Three different dilutions of a NoV-positive stool sample were prepared and subsequently treated with CAPP for various lengths of time, up to 15 min. NoV viral loads were quantified by quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). Increased CAPP treatment time led to increased NoV reduction; samples treated for the longest time had the lowest viral load. From the initial starting quantity of 2.36 × 104 genomic equivalents/ml, sample exposure to CAPP reduced this value by 1.23 log10 and 1.69 log10 genomic equivalents/ml after 10 and 15 min, respectively (P < 0.01). CAPP treatment of surfaces carrying a lower viral load reduced NoV by at least 1 log10 after CAPP exposure for 2 min (P < 0.05) and 1 min (P < 0.05), respectively. Our results suggest that NoV can be inactivated by CAPP treatment. The lack of cell culture assays prevents our ability to estimate infectivity. It is possible that some detectable, intact virus particles were rendered noninfectious. We conclude that CAPP treatment of surfaces may be a useful strategy to reduce the risk of NoV transmission in crowded environments.

 

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USA – Animal Beef Jerky Treats Recall – Salmonella

Posted on February 2, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Grill-Phoria of Loveland, Colo. is recalling Big Bark All Natural Beef Jerky Treats for Dogs for potential Salmonella contamination. Consumers who have purchased these products should not feed them to their dogs.

The recalled products were sold between September 20, 2014 through January 2, 2015, in 3.5 oz bags that do not have lot codes.

Salmonella in pet treats can affect animals who eat them and humans who handle them. To prevent illness, always thoroughly wash their hands after having contact with pet food products. Consumers who have purchased these products should carefully clean any surfaces they have come in contact with.

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USA – Salami – Clostridium perfringens

Posted on February 2, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Journal

Great Lakes Smoked Meats, a Lorain, Ohio establishment, is recalling approximately 2,863 pounds of smoked salami product, which may have experienced temperature abuse and may contain Clostridium perfringens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The smoked salami was produced on Dec. 12, 2014 through Dec. 14, 2014. The following product are subject to recall:

Approximately 2.25-2.3 lb. vacuum-packed sticks of “SMOKEHOUSE DELI KARPATSKAYA SMOKED COOKED SALAMI”

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USA – Recall – Pecanettes – Salmonella – Premium Protein Powder – Staphylococcal Enterotoxin

Posted on February 2, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Stone Mountain Pecan Company in Monroe, Ga. is recalling  540 packages of the “Pecanettes” for possible Salmonella. Consumers who have purchased this product should not eat it as they risk serious illness if they do.

The recalled products were sold in 8-ounce clear plastic packages with the Lot code 4032A, and “sell by date” of 12/30/15.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Project Healthy Living, Inc. of New York, d/b/a Aloha, Inc. is recalling all packages of Premium Protein powder in chocolate and vanilla blends due to risk of contamination with  Staphylococcus enterotoxin. Consumers who have purchased these products should not use them as these toxins can cause serious injury to health. The company had received 17 reports of illness at the time of the recall.

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