Monthly Archives: June 2020

Research – High levels of DON in European corn and wheat harvest

Posted on June 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

All About Feed

Many parts of Europe can expect potentially high levels of mycotoxin contamination in the upcoming 2020 corn and wheat harvest, according to results of a new mycotoxin prediction tool released by Biomin.

The forecast is based on a mycotoxin prediction tool that delivers daily assessments of expected mycotoxin levels in corn and wheat harvests. One major trend identified in the firm’s forecast of mycotoxin occurrence is that deoxynivalenol (DON), or vomitoxin, has a high probability to exceed a risk threshold level of 150 parts per billion (ppb) in corn in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, and a similarly high probability to exceed 150 ppb in wheat in Northern Europe.

Leave a comment

Posted in Animal Feed, DOMOIC ACID, DON, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Uncategorized

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes: Enoki Mushrooms (March 2020)

Posted on June 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

FDA

The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners investigated a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to enoki mushrooms from Green Co, LTD. of the Republic of Korea. Enoki mushrooms are a long thin white mushroom, usually sold in clusters. They are especially popular in East Asian cuisine and are also known as enokitake, golden needle, futu, or lily mushrooms.

Recommendations

Recalled enoki mushrooms from Sun Hong Foods, Inc., Guan’s Mushroom Co., and H&C Food, Inc. are past their shelf-life and should no longer be available.

FDA recommends that anyone who received recalled products use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

Investigation Update

June 9, 2020

As of June 9, 2020, the CDC declared that this outbreak appears to be over.

Previous Updates

Product Images

Guan’s Mushroom Co.
Guan’s Mushroom Co.
Picture of enoki mushroom case
Sample Enoki Mushrooms Imported from Korea
H&C Food Inc Enoki Mushrooms

Leave a comment

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

Research – Mom was right about not touching slime; researchers looking at pathogens in food facilities

Posted on June 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News biofilm

New research underway seeks to determine how and where bacteria hide in food processing plants so that they can be eliminated, to the benefit of public health and the bottom line of food companies.

The project involves scientists at Texas A&M, Stanford University, and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service U.S. Meat Animal Research Center’s pilot meat processing facility in Clay Center, NE. Their work has the backing of a $479,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

While the project could ultimately benefit food facilities from fresh produce processing plants to candy makers, the researchers will be taking an extra close look at the meat industry.

Led by Sapna Chitlapilly Dass, a faculty member in Texas A&M’s Department of Animal Science, the team will be looking at “hotspots” that easily harbor biofilms, also known as slime. Dass and the other researchers are trying to figure out not only where bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli O157: H7 are hiding, but what sanitizers they have become resistant to.

Leave a comment

Posted in Biofilm, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Testing, Research, Uncategorized

Research – Australia sees decline in Campylobacter and Salmonella

Posted on June 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Rates of Campylobacter and Salmonella infections in Australia have almost halved since the lockdown because of the Coronavirus pandemic that began in March.

The Food Safety Information Council revealed that since the COVID-19 shutdown started, reported rates of these infections per 100,000 people have declined compared to the past two years.

This shows the effectiveness of good handwashing, and that there has been less bulk catering as fewer people have been eating out or entertaining, according to the health promotion charity.

In April, 839 Salmonella infections were recorded compared to 1,383 in 2019. For May, 818 cases were reported versus 1,172 in the same period the year before, according to the Australian Department of Health’s National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. These figures convert to a reporting rate of 3.4 in April compared to 5.5 in April 2019 and 3.3 in May versus 4.7 in May 2019.

Leave a comment

Posted in Campylobacter, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Research, Salmonella, Uncategorized

New Zealand -Ciguatera cases linked to imported fish in New Zealand

Posted on June 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Five people from two households in New Zealand became ill with ciguatera poisoning after eating fish imported from Fiji earlier this year.

The outbreak in Christchurch affected three males of 19 to 58 years old and two females – one aged in her 40s and the other in her 50s. One person was hospitalized and diagnosed with ciguatera poisoning but has since recovered.

In late May, Krazy Price Mart Ltd recalled a batch of frozen camouflage grouper (kawakawa) due to ciguatoxin. The item was sold as an individual whole gutted fish wrapped in clear plastic but was not labelled so had no date marking. It was available between March 10 and May 21, 2020 only at Krazy Price Mart Ltd in Christchurch.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Biotoxin, Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Spoilage, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Toxin, Uncategorized

France – Product recall: Liver pâté superior to the VPF ladle approx. 3.8 kg of Vigneau de Licques brand – Listeria monocyotgenes

Posted on June 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Oulah

ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM

Presence of Listeria monocytogene

PROPOSED SOLUTION

People who hold this product are asked not to consume it and to return it to the point of sale where it was purchased for reimbursement.

People who have consumed this product and who have a fever, isolated or accompanied by headaches, are invited to consult their doctor by reporting this consumption.
Pregnant women should be especially attentive to these symptoms, as well as the immunocompromised and the elderly. These symptoms may suggest listeriosis, a disease which can be serious and which can take up to eight weeks to incubate.

FURTHER INFORMATION

▸ Lot
141

▸
Terrine presentation approx. 3.8KG (sale in the delicatessen section)

▸ DLC (on the whole terrine)
• 16/06/2020
• 17/06/2020
• 18/06/2020
• 19/06/2020
• 22/06/2020
• 23/06/2020

▸ Sale
The product LIVER PASTE SUPERIOR TO THE LADLE VPF in terrine approx. 3.8KG was sold to the “charcuterie coupe” department between 05/26/2020 and 05/06/2020.

▸ Contact customer service
La Liane Charcuterie is at the disposal of consumers to answer their questions on the telephone number: 03 21 88 34 03 (Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm), in case of emergency 07 85 33 46 03 (weekends and holidays).

▸ Source
https://www.carrefour.fr/

Leave a comment

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

India – Kids among 45 fall sick after eating chaat in Shahjahanpur

Posted on June 8, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Times of India

A large number of children were among 45 people taken ill after eating ‘chaat’ from a local street vendor at Dalipur village.
Three of them are said to be in a critical condition. Doctors said that it is a case of food poisoning and most of the people are suffering from diarrhoea.

Leave a comment

Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

USA – FDA to hold imports of pig ear pet treats -Salmonella

Posted on June 8, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Pet Food Processing

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an import alert for some pet treats, saying it will detain, “without physical examination,” pig ear dog chews or other pig ear pet treats that are suspected of containing Salmonella.

“The purpose of this is so that the Agency will have confidence that future shipments/entries will be in compliance with the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act),” the agency stated.

Leave a comment

Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pet Food, Pet Food Testing, raw pet food, Salmonella, Salmonella Dog Food, Uncategorized

Denmark -DTU is helping to investigate outbreaks of disease on Bornholm – Campylobacter

Posted on June 8, 2020 by | Leave a comment

DTU

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, DTU The Danish Food Institute and the Swedish Serum Institute, SSI, have jointly investigated an ongoing disease outbreak on Bornholm since June 2, 2020. Currently, there are reports of up to 100 people with symptoms similar to a campylobacter infection.

So far, 54 people aged 9 months to 97 years have tested positive for campylobacter and several patient samples are being investigated. The sick live on Bornholm or have visited the island recently. SSI is also investigating whether it is the same type of campylobacter that has made patients sick.

The goal of the collaboration is to identify the source of infection. At present, there is no trace of a particular source, but one suspects a locally produced food – presumably a ready-to-eat product.

Read more

The details of the outbreak and the work on finding the source of infection are described in more detail in a news from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration: Several sufferers of campylobacter on Bornholm . The news also provides good advice on how consumers best avoid getting infected with campylobacter.

Leave a comment

Posted in Campylobacter, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Uncategorized

Netherlands – Salmonella – “Spaanse Fuet Iberico” from the brand Albert Hein

Posted on June 8, 2020 by | Leave a comment

FAVV AFSCA

Recall from Albert Heijn
Product: tapas “Spaanse Fuet Iberico” from the brand Albert Hein
Problem: Possible presence of Salmonella

In agreement with the AFSCA, Albert Heijn is withdrawing the “Spaanse Fuet Iberico” tapas from the Albert Heijn brand from sale and recalling them to consumers. There is a risk of food poisoning linked to the consumption of this product, following the possible presence of the Salmonella bacteria. Consumption of this product can therefore pose a health risk – especially in young children, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems and pregnant women.

Albert Heijn asks his customers not to consume this product and to bring it back to the point of sale in which it was purchased. The product will be refunded or changed. Please contact a doctor in case of health problem.

Product Description

  • Product category: charcuterie / aperitif
  • Product name: tapas Spaanse Fuet Iberico
  • Brand: ALBERT HEIJN
  • Date of minimum durability (DDM): 04-07-2020 & 06-07-2020
  • Sales period: from 05/28/2020 to 05/06/2020 inclusive
  • Type of packaging: tray + plastic packaging
  • Weight: 90g


For further information, please contact Albert Heijn via 0800 777 05

Leave a comment

Posted in afsca, FAVV, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Salmonella, Uncategorized