| GTIN | Batch | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 3250392615536 | 43294874 032 XX:XX (all time codes) | Use-by date 05/15/2023 |
Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Salmonella
Recent controls in Austria have found Campylobacter in raw milk, Salmonella in chicken, and Hepatitis E in raw pork liver.
Earlier this year, a campaign checked raw milk from vending machines for germs and residues of cleaning agents.
The Austria Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) said that raw milk could contain pathogens despite hygiene measures during milking. The advice is to boil it before drinking. For products sold directly to consumers via vending machines or in the farm shop, the note: “Raw milk, boil before consumption” must be present.
Sixty samples from across Austria were examined and 23 were rejected. Overall, 21 did not comply because the total bacterial count was too high. One sample was contaminated with Campylobacter. Two samples were non-compliant because of a lack of information on the vending machine about boiling the product.
Raw milk from vending machines had been examined for microbiological quality in two previous campaigns in 2017 and 2020. In these actions, milk from 112 different farms was checked. Samples from 40 companies were non-compliant, including five firms on two occasions.
Posted in Campylobacter, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Hepatitis E, Raw Milk, Salmonella
HANOI (Vietnam News/Asia News Network): Hanoi will apply many solutions to improve the efficiency of food safety assurance this year, which enhances trade, connection, and supply chains to serve citizens, according to Tran Thi Phuong Lan, director of Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade.
She made the statement at the opening ceremony of the “Hanoi City Safe Agricultural Products Fair 2023” organised by Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade on Thursday (MAY 18).
The fair will be held from May 18 to May 22 at Roman Square – An Binh City, Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi.
It attracts more than 150 booths of 100 companies from 19 provinces and districts with a variety of agricultural food and OCOP products from different brands.
The fair is organised to introduce and connect production and business models, safe food chains, and local products to urban consumers. It also aims to encourage Vietnamese people to prioritise using Vietnamese goods.
In recent years, the Hanoi’s People’s Committee has directed the task of maintaining food safety, spreading information and training on legal guidelines about safe food manufacturing and business practices.
According to the report of the city’s Department of Industry and Trade, in 2022 and the first four months of 2023, there were 21 training courses, one workshop with about 3,000 participants, and 86,000 publications, leaflets, and banners to promote food safety. Furthermore, they coordinated the broadcasting of four reports and news articles in newspapers, radio stations, and the Department’s web portal.
At 10:30pm Thursday, the Ararat provincial center of the Food Safety Inspection Body (FSIB) of Armenia received a verbal report from the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention that six children, aged 3 to 4 years old, attending a nursery kindergarten in Artashat city were transferred to the Artashat hospital, with signs of food poisoning, FSIB noted in a statement.
One child was taken to Muratsan hospital in Yerevan.
But as of 10:30am Friday, the number of kids from the aforesaid kindergarten who were hospitalized had reached 16, and two of them are in the infectious disease ward.
The children are in satisfactory condition.
Initial diagnosis was unverified food poisoning and vomiting.
Samples were taken from the food on Thursday’s menu (boiled eggs, yogurt soup, pea soup, pasta pilaf) of this kindergarten. The samples have been submitted for lab tests, and the respective results will be announced later.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak
Hong Kong health authorities are investigating a case of suspected food poisoning at a prestigious international school where 20 pupils fell ill after eating dinner at the campus cafeteria.
The Centre for Health Protection reported that the 20 students had eaten macaroni and cheese, as well as chicken, at the school’s canteen.
An investigation into the incident was ongoing.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak
As many as 135 people who attended a wedding at Kalady near Tavanur in Malappuram district on Wednesday were hospitalised after they developed symptoms of food poisoning.
Many of them are children. They were admitted to different hospitals at Edappal and neighbouring places with diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Health officials said none was critical.
While 69 people from Thuruvanam island near Maranchery, who accompanied the bride to the party at the groom’s house at Kalady, fell sick, 66 of those who suffered food poisoning were from Kalady panchayat.
Health officials examined the premises where food poisoning was suspected and said it could have been caused by the water used during the function.
Posted in Contaminated water, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
A cholera outbreak in South Africa has claimed the lives of 10 people. The infection is not endemic to the region and it has seen a surge in cases globally in recent years.
The announcement from officials in Gauteng Province comes after samples of 19 people with symptoms at a hospital were confirmed for cholera, the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) noted in a statement Sunday.
At least 95 people have shown similar symptoms like diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea since May 15. Thirty-seven people remain at the hospital, while 10 have died, which includes nine adults and a 3-year-old.
Following potential exposure to bacteria from unpasteurized milk sold at a farmers’ market in Missoula County, the Missoula City-County Health Department is warning residents of the dangers of consuming unpasteurized, or “raw,” milk.
Milk that was recently sold at a local farmers market came from a herd where two cows tested positive for Coxiella burnetii, which is the bacteria that causes Q fever. While one of those cows had not yet produced milk, the other produced about 10% of the farmer’s yield.
“We don’t know if the cow was shedding the bacteria at the time it was milked, or if that cow’s milk was sold at the farmers market,” said Environmental Health Director Shannon Therriault. “So, we can’t say for sure whether anyone was exposed. However, what we do know is that unpasteurized milk can contain harmful bacteria that can make you and your loved ones sick.”
Unpasteurized milk products have been linked to outbreaks of E. coli, campylobacter, salmonella, brucella, listeria and cryptosporidium. In the case of Q fever, symptoms can take two or three weeks to present following exposure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of Q fever include fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, stomach pain, weight loss and a non-productive cough.
Posted in Brucella melitensis, Campylobacter, Coxiella burnetii, Cryptosporidium, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Raw Milk
Morel mushrooms are a type of edible mushroom that are commonly foraged from the wild and are sometimes cultivated for commercial sale. Morel mushrooms are generally considered safe to eat, but they may contain some toxins that can cause health problems. The toxins in morel mushrooms that may cause illness are not fully understood; however, using proper preparation procedures, such as cooking can help to reduce toxin levels.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are assisting Gallatin City-County Health DepartmentExternal Link Disclaimer and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) with an investigation of illnesses at a single restaurant in Montana. The restaurant temporarily closed following the illnesses and at this time, there does not appear to be any further risk to the public. Available epidemiological evidence indicates that imported cultivated morel mushrooms, consumed at a single Montana restaurant, were the likely source of illnesses.
The morel mushrooms served at the restaurant in Montana were distributed to multiple states; however, at this time, this appears to be a localized issue and no illnesses have been identified outside of the single restaurant in Montana.
Symptoms depend on the type of mushroom consumed, the specific toxin and amount ingested. Symptoms can also vary depending on the individual who ate them.
Ongoing
While there appears to be no ongoing risk related to this investigation, the following are general safety tips related to morel and other wild-type mushrooms (this includes mushrooms that are traditionally wild and foraged but can also be cultivated). If you become ill after consuming any mushroom, please contact your healthcare provider and/or call the poison control help lineExternal Link Disclaimer at 1-800-222-1222.
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers:
Consumers should eat morel and other wild-type mushrooms at their own risk. Properly cooking morel mushrooms can reduce risk of illness, however there is no guarantee of safety even if cooking steps are taken prior to consumption. Anyone eating, selling, or serving morel mushrooms, or other wild-type of mushrooms, should exercise caution. There are varieties of poisonous wild mushrooms that look very similar to morel mushrooms. If you are preparing morels, you should confirm the identity of each mushroom, and consult with a knowledgeable expert as the poisonous species have been known to grow near edible species in the wild.
If you are preparing morel or other wild-type mushrooms, you should inspect for any signs of spoilage as toxin presence and levels may be affected by freshness or lack thereof. Choose mushrooms that are dry and firm and avoid those that are bruised, discolored, or slimy.
Mushrooms should be refrigerated at a temperature of 40° F or below, either in their original packaging or in breathable type packaging, such as a paper bag.
Harvesters and manufacturers:
Conditions in which wild-type mushrooms are packaged and stored can contribute to growth of harmful bacteria and toxins. Harvesters and manufacturers should pack mushrooms in breathable packaging to allow air flow through the container which will prevent growth of these pathogens.
Additional information on selecting, storing, and serving fresh produce, such as mushrooms, can be found on the FDA website.
May 19, 2023
Per request from Gallatin City-County Health Department and the Montana (DPHHS), the FDA and CDC are assisting with an investigation of illnesses at a single restaurant in Montana. The restaurant temporarily closed following the illnesses and there does not appear to be any further risk to the public. Preparation and storage methods at the restaurant continue to be examined as part of the investigation into the cause of illnesses and this advisory will be updated as information becomes available.
As of May 15, 2023, the investigation has identified 50 ill people who ate at the restaurant between March 28 and April 17, 2023, of whom 44 people reported eating morel mushrooms. There have been three hospitalizations and two deaths associated with this incident. A sample of leftover mushrooms were collected from the restaurant and laboratory analysis determined that the sampled mushrooms were true morels.
Currently, no pathogen, toxin, pesticide, or heavy metal has been identified; however, state and local partners have collected consumer samples from the restaurant and testing and analysis are ongoing. Although epidemiological evidence indicates that morel mushrooms consumed at the restaurant are likely the cause of illnesses, mushroom poisonings can be difficult to diagnose as the exact chemical nature of some toxins found in wild-type mushrooms are currently unknown.
According to the local media, a local restaurant chain has been shut down by the local health department due to “a slew of health violations” and “unsanitary working conditions that appear to be linked to a Salmonella outbreak in the area.”
The health department recommends that customers of the “Los Amigos Taqueria Brighton location between May 12 and May 18 to monitor themselves for symptoms of Salmonella infection, including fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and to contact a healthcare provider for an evaluation and testing if appropriate.”
Health agents’ report said that “multiple rodent droppings” were also found on pineapple cans, bags of pinto beans, single-use beverage holders, and storage tables.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella
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