RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (in 3 out of 5 samples /25g) and suspicion of shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (in 2 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled boneless beef rump from Uruguay in Portugal
KSWFoodWorld
Monthly Archives: June 2019
RASFF Alerts – Ochratoxin A – Chilli Powder – Spice Mix
RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Pistachios – Chilli Powder – Groundnuts
RASFF – aflatoxins (Tot. = 11.05 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios in shell from Iran in Slovakia
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 39.1; Tot. = 39.9 µg/kg – ppb) and ochratoxin A (106.1 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli powder from Sri Lanka in Cyprus
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 13.4; Tot. = 15 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernels from Iran in France
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 8.7; Tot. = 9.7 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts in shell from Egypt in Germany
RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Poultry Meat Burger – Chicken Breast Fillet – Black Pepper – Sesame Seeds – Chicken Meat- Chicken Liver – Betel Leaves -Cumin Seeds – Turkey Boneless Leg – Chicken Meat Preparation – MSM Chicken Meat
RASFF – Salmonella (present /25g) in chilled poultry meat burger from Belgium in Belgium
RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in chicken breast fillet from Poland in Poland
RASFF – Salmonella (present /25g) in black pepper from Brazil in Germany
RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Javiana (presence /25g), Salmonella enterica ser. Rubislaw (presence /25g) and Salmonella enterica ser. San Diego (presence /25g) in black pepper from Brazil in Germany
RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in organic sesame seeds from Uganda in the Netherlands
RASFF – Salmonella (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in organic sesame seeds from Uganda in the Netherlands
RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (in 2 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled chicken meat and chicken liver from Poland in Poland
RASFF – Salmonella (presence /10g) in pathogenic micro-organisms in from Belgium in Belgium
RASFF – Salmonella (in 2 out of 5 samples /25g) and high count of Escherichia coli (up to 29000 CFU/g) in betel leaves from Malaysia in the UK
RASFF – Salmonella (presence /10g) in frozen salted chicken meat preparation from Belgium in Belgium
RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in cumin seeds from Syria in Spain
RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (present /10g) in frozen mechanically separated (MSM) chicken meat from Lithuania, with raw material from Poland in Lithuania
RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Derby (presence /25g) in turkey boneless leg steak without skin, vacuum packed from Poland in the Czech Republic
New Zealand – The burden of Legionnaires’ disease in New Zealand (LegiNZ): a national surveillance study
Summary
Background
Legionnaires’ disease is under-diagnosed because of inconsistent use of diagnostic tests and uncertainty about whom to test. We assessed the increase in case detection following large-scale introduction of routine PCR testing of respiratory specimens in New Zealand.
Methods
LegiNZ was a national surveillance study done over 1-year in which active case-finding was used to maximise the identification of cases of Legionnaires’ disease in hospitals. Respiratory specimens from patients of any age with pneumonia, who could provide an eligible lower respiratory specimen, admitted to one of 20 participating hospitals, covering a catchment area of 96% of New Zealand’s population, were routinely tested for legionella by PCR. Additional cases of Legionnaires’ disease in hospital were identified through mandatory notification.
Findings
Between May 21, 2015, and May 20, 2016, 5622 eligible specimens from 4862 patients were tested by PCR. From these, 197 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were detected. An additional 41 cases were identified from notification data, giving 238 cases requiring hospitalisation. The overall incidence of Legionnaires’ disease cases in hospital in the study area was 5·4 per 100 000 people per year, and Legionella longbeachae was the predominant cause, found in 150 (63%) of 238 cases.
Interpretation
The rate of notified disease during the study period was three-times the average over the preceding 3 years. Active case-finding through systematic PCR testing better clarified the regional epidemiology of Legionnaires’ disease and uncovered an otherwise hidden burden of disease. These data inform local Legionnaires’ disease testing strategies, allow targeted antibiotic therapy, and help identify outbreaks and effective prevention strategies. The same approach might have similar benefits if applied elsewhere in the world.
RASFF Alert – Listeria monocytogenes – Sliced Dried Pork – Sliced Roast Chicken – Scallops – Chorizo
RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (1000 CFU/g) in organic sliced dried pork from Spain in France
RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in sliced roasted chicken breast fillets from Poland in Poland
RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (present /25g) in chilled scallops from the Netherlands in the Netherlands
RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (40 CFU/g) in chorizo from Spain in France
RASFF Alert – Animal Feed – Enterobacteriaceae – Raw Pet Food for Dogs
RASFF – high count of Enterobacteriaceae (7300 CFU/g) in raw pet food for dogs from the United Kingdom in Croatia
RASFF Alerts – Animal Feed – Salmonella – Rape Seed Meal – Mixed Meat Meal – Soy Feed Material
New Zealand – Food poisoning associated with consumption of raw mussels
New Zealand Food Safety is urging people to ensure they cook raw mussels thoroughly after an increase in cases of food poisoning associated with commercially grown New Zealand mussels.
Over the past 6 weeks, there has been an increase in cases of people with food poisoning caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine microorganism that occurs naturally throughout the world. Not all Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains cause illness in humans and surveys to date of New Zealand shellfish have found very low levels and incidence of disease-causing strains.
However, some strains do cause illness in humans. Symptoms are predominantly stomach cramps and watery diarrhoea and sometimes nausea, vomiting and fever. Generally people who are sick recover without hospital treatment, however, in severe cases hospitalisation is required.
New Zealand Food Safety’s director of food regulation Paul Dansted says the majority of people who have become sick have bought commercially-grown New Zealand mussels harvested from a single growing area in the Coromandel and were eaten raw or partially cooked. This growing area has been closed by New Zealand Food Safety while further investigations continue.
“Additional testing is being done to confirm the type of Vibrio parahaemolyticus that has caused this illness. It is possible that the strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus is unusually aggressive which may mean that even low numbers could cause illness.
“Additional testing of mussels and the waters that they are being grown in is also underway to help us understand why this has happened.
“The mussels at the centre of the outbreak were all bought in their raw state, in the shell. They are not the mussels that can be bought in plastic pottles. Those mussels are cooked and marinated and are not affected.
“Until we have more information, New Zealand Food Safety is reminding people to take care when handling, preparing, and consuming mussels.”
Cooking temperatures for mussels should be above 65°C. This will ensure that any Vibrio parahaemolyticus that is present in mussels will be destroyed.
- Don’t eat raw or undercooked mussels or other shellfish. Cook them before eating.
- Always wash your hands with soap and water after handing raw shellfish.
- Avoid contaminating cooked shellfish with raw shellfish and its juices.
New Zealand Food Safety’s advice to consumers who are pregnant or have low immunity is to avoid eating raw shellfish.
Hand-washing advice – Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
Australia – Lactalis Australia milks with microbial contamination
Product information
Lactalis Australia Pty Ltd is conducting a recall of the products below. The products have been available for sale at Coles,Woolworths, IGA and other retailers (including food service venues) across Victoria, as well as some retailers and food service outlets in Southern NSW including the Murray, Riverina and Western Districts of NSW.
- 7-Eleven Lite Milk 2L Bottle (use by date: 2 July 2019)
- Gippy Full Cream Milk 2L Bottle (use by date: 2 July 2019)
- Gippy Lite Milk 2L Bottle (use by date: 2 July 2019)
- Maxi Foods Lite Milk 2L Bottle (use by date: 2 July 2019)
- Pauls Professional Cafe Crema Milk 2L Bottle (use by date: 2 July 2019)
- Pauls Smarter White 2% Fat Milk 2L Bottle (use by date: 2 July 2019)
- Rev Low Fat Milk 2L Bottle (use by date: 2 July 2019)
- Rev Low Fat Milk 1L Carton (use by date: 2 July 2019)
Date markings
Use By 2 July 2019
Problem
The recall is due to microbial (E.coli) contamination.
Food safety hazard
Food products contaminated with E.coli may cause illness if consumed.
Country of origin
Australia
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