Monthly Archives: June 2019

Europe – Multi-country outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes clonal complex 8 infections linked to consumption of cold-smoked fish products

Posted on June 11, 2019 by | Leave a comment

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Summary
A prolonged multi-country outbreak of 22 listeriosis cases caused by Listeria monocytogenes sequence type (ST) 1247, clonal complex (CC) 8 has been identified through whole genome sequencing (WGS) in five EU countries: Denmark (9 cases), Estonia (6), Finland (2), France (1) and Sweden (4). Five patients have died due to, or with, the disease. The first case had symptom onset in July 2014 in Estonia, and the most recent case occurred in Denmark in February 2019. Eight patients, out of twelve for whom a food consumption history was available, confirmed the consumption of cold-smoked fish products. L. monocytogenes food isolates, matching the human outbreak strain by WGS, were detected at wholesale and retail level in four countries (i.e. France, Denmark, Italy and Sweden) from 13 batches of cold smoked or gravad salmon and from six batches of cold smoked trout products. Traceability information of the contaminated batches pointed to the Estonian processing Company A as the single common manufacturer of these fish products. The raw fish was received from suppliers in Norway and Finland. Environmental investigations and food testing at the Estonian processing plant showed the presence of L. monocytogenes that matched the outbreak strain in two samples on the processing line and in four batches of the final product.
The presence of L. monocytogenes matching the outbreak strain over several years in the fish products suggests the persistence of the microorganism at the Estonian company’s premises. Further investigation is needed to identify points of (cross-)contamination in the food processing plant. Control measures were implemented in Estonia, Denmark, France and Italy following the RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) notifications, but until the source of infection has been identified and controlled, new invasive listeriosis cases associated with this event may still occur.
In general, pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals are at increased risk of invasive listeriosis, which is associated with severe clinical course and potentially death.

 

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

USA – NYC officials advise providers to look out for Legionnaires’ disease

Posted on June 10, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

Legionella A

Image CDC

New York City health officials are advising providers to test for Legionella in adults with pneumonia, particularly patients who are > 50 years or have lung disease, immune-suppression, or a history of smoking.

Legionnaires’ disease follows a seasonal pattern in New York City, with an increased number of cases
reported from June to October each year.  NYC sees between 200 and 500 cases of Legionnaires’ disease each year.

While it remains a relatively rare infection, the rate of Legionnaires’ disease is increasing significantly in NYC. From 2007-2017, there was an 8.1% average increase in the rate of Legionnaires’ disease cases citywide each year.

The rate of Legionnaires’ disease increased significantly in all boroughs and demographic groups over this period.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Legionella, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

USA – Winnebago County Illinois Health Department monitoring STEC E. coli Mystery

Posted on June 10, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The Winnebago County Illinois Health Department has confirmed three cases of Shiga toxin‐producing E. coli (STEC) in the county.

The patients experienced diarrhea beginning May 31. The cause of the illness has not yet been determined, the department announced Friday evening.

The following are symptoms of E. coli and may be seen with or without a fever: abdominal cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Residents are urged to contact a health care provider if they experienced symptoms on or after May 21.

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STX 1, STX 2, Uncategorized

USA – Kroger recalls certain beef products in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana due to E. coli

Posted on June 10, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Journal

Kroger is recalling certain beef products from some of its stores due to potential E. coli contamination. The products included bone-in ribeye steaks, boneless ribeye steaks and in-store produced ground beef. The items will have the following labels:

Customers who purchased these items from April 23 through June 7 should not eat the product. Kroger says the affected stores are in the Cincinnati area, northern Kentucky, Dayton, Ohio, and southeastern Indiana.

Kroger says there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the products at this time.

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Uncategorized

USA – Shigella Outbreak at Wedding in Oregon Linked to Asparagus

Posted on June 10, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin Shigella - kswfoodworld

According to data presented at the CDC’s Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference, contaminated asparagus was the likely source of a Shigella outbreak at a Yarnhill County wedding in Oregon in 2018. One hundred twelve people were sickened; 10 people were hospitalized.

A total of 263 people attended the wedding. Seventy-five percent of those people responded to the survey. The patient age range was from 2 to 93 years. Of the 95 people who responded, 97% said they got sick within 12 to 72 hours after the wedding. Fifty-seven patients went to a health care facility.

Investigators found that only asparagus was associated with illness.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Shigatoxin, Shigella, Uncategorized

UK and Canada – Deaths and Illness in Hospitals due to Listeria Sandwiches in Britain and Canada

Posted on June 10, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Three people have died recently in England from listeriosis with a link to eating pre-made sandwiches and at least three others have been sickened by the deadly bacteria. The patients died at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool.

Cases of Listeria infection have been reported in six hospital patients in England. Sandwiches and salads linked to the sick people have been withdrawn and the supplier, The Good Food Chain, has voluntarily ceased production while the investigation continues.

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Posted in food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

USA – Public Health Alert Concerning Hepatitis A Virus Contamination of Kroger Brand Frozen Blackberries

Posted on June 10, 2019 by | Leave a comment

FDA

The FDA is alerting consumers to a hepatitis A virus (HAV) contamination of frozen blackberries under the Kroger grocery store “Private Selection” brand. This contamination was discovered by the FDA as a part of an ongoing frozen berry sampling assignment. The FDA is advising consumers not to eat and to throw away frozen fruit purchased from Kroger and other retail locations packaged under Kroger’s “Private Selection” brand. Here are the recalled products:

  • PRIVATE SELECTION FROZEN TRIPLE BERRY MEDLEY, 48 OZ (BEST BY: 07-07-20; UPC: 0001111079120);
  • PRIVATE SELECTION FROZEN TRIPLE BERRY MEDLEY, 16 OZ (BEST BY: 06-19-20; UPC: 0001111087808);
  • PRIVATE SELECTION FROZEN BLACKBERRIES, 16 OZ (BEST BY: 06-19-20, 07-02-20; UPC: 0001111087809)
Kroger Brand Frozen Blackberries

These products are available at Kroger and other retail locations and have a two-year shelf life. The FDA is working with the manufacturer on this matter. This posting will be updated with new information as it becomes available. The FDA is continuing to investigate to determine whether there are other implicated products.

At this time, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are not aware of any cases of hepatitis A linked to the consumption of Kroger Private Selection brand frozen blackberries. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) can result in a liver infection that may be inapparent. However, when symptoms occur, they can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. HAV is found in the stool and blood of people who are infected. HAV is spread when someone ingests the virus, usually through person-to-person contact or from eating contaminated food or drink. Contamination of food with the hepatitis A virus can happen at any point: growing, harvesting, processing, handling, and even after cooking.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus

Research – Listeria monocytogenes risk associated with chicken at slaughter and biocontrol with three new bacteriophages

Posted on June 9, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Listeria kswfoodworld food safety food poisoning

Image CDC

 

Abstract

The aim of this study was to isolate Listeria monocytogenes from chicken neck skins and lytic bacteriophages from poultry slaughterhouse wastewaters, and following the characterization of the isolates, biocontrol of L. monocytogenes was investigated on chicken drumsticks with the isolated phages. L. monocytogenes prevalence was detected 12.3% in the chicken samples and the dominant serotype was determined as 1/2a (92.5%). Expression levels of major virulence genes were revealed by real‐time RT‐PCR. Ten different DNA profiles were detected by ERIC‐PCR fingerprinting. According to the MIC results, LM‐P75 was defined as MDR by showing resistance to antibiotics in six different groups. Besides, five lytic listeriophages were isolated from wastewaters and treated with Cla1 and Sac1. Taking EoP, TEM, in vitro, and in vivo analyses results into consideration, three bacteriophages were used for the biocontrol assay. The application of the bacteriophages on drumsticks achieved a reduction up to 3.3 log CFU/ml in L. monocytogenes count in 3 hr of incubation at 4°C.

Practical applications

Our results showed that in spite of the developments in hygiene practices during slaughtering, chicken meat is still a potential source for L. monocytogenes. On the other hand, the phage cocktail that used in this study can be an effective tool to reduce L. monocytogenes in chicken carcasses at final wash or at cooling step in poultry slaughtering process, as well as in decontamination of chicken meat parts.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized

Research – Discerning microbial and quality attributes of differently slaughtered and dead poultry meat

Posted on June 9, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Abstract

Globally, various methods of slaughtering have been practiced for the production of chicken meat. Among these methods, Halal slaughtering is implemented to produce Halal chicken. This method involves cutting the throat to bring the animal toward quick death without anguishing. Additionally, Halal slaughtering also favors rapid blood flow and more bleeding. Slaughtering methods are concorded with composition, quality, and microbial safety of meat, mediated by varied blood retention. Accordingly, the present work was aimed to explicate the effect of various slaughtering methods on quality and safety of broiler meat. Results revealed that significant compositional changes were observed in meat obtained from different slaughtering methods. Additionally, Halal‐slaughtered meat showed less nitrogenous losses (TVBN = 9.81 mgN/100 g), high water holding capacity (72.02%), better shear‐force value (21.37 g), and normal color (L* = 48.59, a* = 0.85, b* = 11.56) as compared to other slaughtering methods and dead meat. Additionally, Halal‐slaughtered meat contained less number of total plate count (4.28 log10CFU/g), Enterobacteriaceae count (3.12 log10CFU/g), Salmonella (2.74 log10CFU/g), and E. coli (2.78 log10CFU/g) counts in comparison with the other slaughtering methods and dead meat samples. Findings of the study indicate that slaughtering methods significantly influence the quality and microbial status of broiler meat.

Practical applications

In recent years, the international market for meat obtained from animals/birds slaughtered by using various religious methods has become important for supplying the desired meat globally. Although several studies have been conducted in this domain but most of the published data mainly emphasize the work related to the use of conventional slaughtering methods with limited comparison to religious slaughtering methods. However, some projects have also addressed the issues related to the impact of slaughtering methods on meat quality. Discussion related to religious slaughtering has been in progress around the world. Accordingly, the present study was conducted in this regard for providing some more information and facilitating the existing and upcoming discussions on the merits and demerits of several slaughtering methods with special reference to meat quality and safety.

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Posted in Enterobacteriaceae, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research -Does physical state of farm housing and milking practices affect total bacteria and somatic cell count of cow milk?

Posted on June 9, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Abstract

The study determined the effect of physical state of farm housing on total bacteria and somatic cell count (SCC) of cow milk. Milk records collected at Dairy Services Zimbabwe were used. Effects of physical state of ceilings, doors, ventilation, walls, drains, fly‐proofs, windows and roof type on total bacterial count (TBC) in milk, and SCC were determined using general linear models procedure. Poor physical state of ceilings, doors and floors in milking parlors, wash rooms and bulk tank rooms result in high TBC and SCC in milk (p < 0.05). Poor ventilation in the bulk tank room results in high TBC in milk (p < 0.05). Floors, doors, and ceilings of milking houses should be kept in sound condition and good repair in order minimize TBC and SCC in raw milk.

Practical applications

Understanding how physical state of farm houses and management practices affect total bacterial count and somatic cell count in fresh milk enables farmers and regulatory agencies to put in corrective action to reduce bacterial contamination of milk at farm level. This helps keep the population of disease causing bacteria in raw milk, which is widely consumed by human beings, as low as possible. It also helps reduce contamination by some resistant bacteria that might survive processing and cause further defects in milk products. The shelf‐life of the milk and its products is, thus, improved. Reducing bacterial and somatic cell count in raw milk also helps the milk producers to score high milk grades on the market and, thus, fetch high prices.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Raw Milk, Uncategorized