Monthly Archives: January 2024

USA – Urgent Voluntary Recall of D&D Commodities Ltd. 3-D Pet Products Premium Parrot Food Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

Posted on January 8, 2024 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Image 1: “Photograph of label for 3-D Parrot Food Side Panel with lot code, 4 lbs.”

Company Announcement

Greeley, CO – D&D Commodities Ltd. is voluntarily recalling one lot of 3-D® Pet Products Premium Parrot Food, 4 lb. jar, UPC 719195135045, Lot Number 102525G, due to potential Salmonella contamination.

The product affected by this recall announcement is:

Product

Size

UPC

Lot No.
3-D Pet Products Premium Parrot
Food		 4 lb. 719195135045 102525G

Product and product lots that do not appear on the list above are not subject to this recall.

Please see attached photos to accurately identify the product.

The recall notification is being issued based on a single manufacturing batch wherein a sample with the Lot Number 102525G and UPC 719195135045 had a positive result for Salmonella in a random sample test collected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 30, 2023. The 3-D® Pet Product Premium Parrot Food was originally manufactured on October 25, 2023. D&D Commodities Ltd. is taking immediate action to remove the product from retail distribution centers and to fully investigate the cause.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people exposed to Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

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Posted in Animal Feed Recall, Animal Feed Salmonella, Animal Feed Testing, Pet Food, Pet Food Recall, Pet Food Salmonella, Pet Food Testing, Salmonella

Research – Effectiveness of Ultra-High Irradiance Blue-Light-Emitting Diodes to Control Salmonella Contamination Adhered to Dry Stainless Steel Surfaces

Posted on January 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Controlling Salmonella contamination in dry food processing environments represents a significant challenge due to their tolerance to desiccation stress and enhanced thermal resistance. Blue light is emerging as a safer alternative to UV irradiation for surface decontamination. In the present study, the antimicrobial efficacy of ultra-high irradiance (UHI) blue light, generated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at wavelengths of 405 nm (841.6 mW/cm2) and 460 nm (614.9 mW/cm2), was evaluated against a five-serovar cocktail of Salmonella enterica dry cells on clean and soiled stainless steel (SS) surfaces. Inoculated coupons were subjected to blue light irradiation treatments at equivalent energy doses ranging from 221 to 1106 J/cm2. Wheat flour was used as a model food soil system. To determine the bactericidal mechanisms of blue light, the intracellular concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Salmonella cells and the temperature changes on SS surfaces were also measured. The treatment energy dose had a significant effect on Salmonella inactivation levels. On clean SS surfaces, the reduction in Salmonella counts ranged from 0.8 to 7.4 log CFU/cm2, while, on soiled coupons, the inactivation levels varied from 1.2 to 4.2 log CFU/cm2. Blue LED treatments triggered a significant generation of ROS within Salmonella cells, as well as a substantial temperature increase in SS surfaces. However, in the presence of organic matter, the oxidative stress in Salmonella cells declined significantly, and treatments with higher energy doses (>700 J/cm2) were required to uphold the antimicrobial effectiveness observed on clean SS. The mechanism of the bactericidal effect of UHI blue LED treatments is likely to be a combination of photothermal and photochemical effects. These results indicate that LEDs emitting UHI blue light could represent a novel cost- and time-effective alternative for controlling microbial contamination in dry food processing environments.

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Posted in Blue Light, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, Research, Salmonella, Technology, UV Microbiology, UV-C

Research – Adhesion to and survival of foodborne pathogens in produce and strategies for their biocontrol

Posted on January 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Abstract

Foodborne pathogens can cause gastrointestinal infections in consumers and in some cases can even lead to outbreaks. In the last decade, it has been observed that some zoonotic pathogenic bacteria can use plants as secondary hosts. Contamination with foodborne bacteria becomes relevant in foods that are regularly eaten raw, such as lettuce, cilantro, fenugreek, rocket leaves, basil, and so forth, and some fruits such as tomatoes, melons, and green peppers; because the elimination of these pathogenic bacteria is difficult to achieve with conventional sanitization processes. Contamination of produce can occur throughout the entire production chain. In farmlands, pathogenic bacteria can contaminate the seed, mainly when contaminated water is used for irrigation. Later, bacteria can reach other plant tissues such as the stems, leaves, and fruits. Another form of contamination is when the produce is in contact with faeces from domestic, production, or wild animals. Additionally, poor handling practices during harvest, packaging, distribution, and sale can contaminate produce. Studies have shown that foodborne pathogens can adhere to produce, sometimes forming a biofilm, and can also be internalized into the plant or fruit, which protects them from sanitation processes. For this reason, in this text we address three biocontrol strategies such as bacteria, lytic bacteriophages, and some fungi, as an alternative approach for the control of both foodborne and plant pathogens. Additionally, the use of these biological agents can represent an advantage for the development of the plant, making them a good strategy to favour yield.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Pathogen, Research, Zoonosis

Research – Food Safety Aspects of Breeding Maize to Multi-Resistance against the Major (Fusarium graminearum, F. verticillioides, Aspergillus flavus) and Minor Toxigenic Fungi (Fusarium spp.) as Well as to Toxin Accumulation, Trends, and Solutions—A Review

Posted on January 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Maize is the crop which is most commonly exposed to toxigenic fungi that produce many toxins that are harmful to humans and animals alike. Preharvest grain yield loss, preharvest toxin contamination (at harvest), and storage loss are estimated to be between 220 and 265 million metric tons. In the past ten years, the preharvest mycotoxin damage was stable or increased mainly in aflatoxin and fumonisins. The presence of multiple toxins is characteristic. The few breeding programs concentrate on one of the three main toxigenic fungi. About 90% of the experiments except AFB1 rarely test toxin contamination. As disease resistance and resistance to toxin contamination often differ in regard to F. graminearum, F. verticillioides, and A. flavus and their toxins, it is not possible to make a food safety evaluation according to symptom severity alone. The inheritance of the resistance is polygenic, often mixed with epistatic and additive effects, but only a minor part of their phenotypic variation can be explained. All tests are made by a single inoculum (pure isolate or mixture). Genotype ranking differs between isolates and according to aggressiveness level; therefore, the reliability of such resistance data is often problematic. Silk channel inoculation often causes lower ear rot severity than we find in kernel resistance tests. These explain the slow progress and raise skepticism towards resistance breeding. On the other hand, during genetic research, several effective putative resistance genes were identified, and some overlapped with known QTLs. QTLs were identified as securing specific or general resistance to different toxicogenic species. Hybrids were identified with good disease and toxin resistance to the three toxigenic species. Resistance and toxin differences were often tenfold or higher, allowing for the introduction of the resistance and resistance to toxin accumulation tests in the variety testing and the evaluation of the food safety risks of the hybrids within 2–3 years. Beyond this, resistance breeding programs and genetic investigations (QTL-analyses, GWAM tests, etc.) can be improved. All other research may use it with success, where artificial inoculation is necessary. The multi-toxin data reveal more toxins than we can treat now. Their control is not solved. As limits for nonregulated toxins can be introduced, or the existing regulations can be made to be stricter, the research should start. We should mention that a higher resistance to F. verticillioides and A. flavus can be very useful to balance the detrimental effect of hotter and dryer seasons on aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination. This is a new aspect to secure food and feed safety under otherwise damaging climatic conditions. The more resistant hybrids are to the three main agents, the more likely we are to reduce the toxin losses mentioned by about 50% or higher.

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Posted in Aspergillus, Aspergillus Toxin, Food Microbiology Research, Food Safety, Food Safety Management, food safety training, Fusarium Toxin, mold, Mold Toxin, Mould/Mold, Mycotoxin, Research

Research – Hazards in Seafood Notified in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) in 1996–2020

Posted on January 6, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Seafood covering fish, crustaceans, molluscs and cephalopods is broadly recognised for its nutritional value and popularity, but it can pose some hazards to health to the potential consumer. The aim of the study was to analyse Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications for seafood over the period 1996–2020 by hazard, year, product, notifying country, country of origin, notification type, notification basis, distribution status and action taken. The research applied cluster analysis using the joining and two-way joining methods. The main reported hazards were micro-organisms (Listeria, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Vibrio, norovirus, mesophiles, Enterobacteriaceae and histamine), heavy metals (mercury and cadmium), veterinary products (nitrofuran, chloramphenicol and leucomalachite green), controls (poor temperature control and hygienic state), parasites (Anisakis) and additives/allergens (sulphite). The reported seafood products originated mainly from European and Asian countries and were notified on the basis of official or border controls, respectively. In order to minimize or eliminate risks, it is important to have the right activity of control authorities, appropriate legislation at the European and national levels and awareness at the different stages of the food chain.

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Posted in E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, Histamine, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, RASFF, Research, Salmonella, Uncategorized, Vibrio

Research – Biocontrol of L. monocytogenes with Selected Autochthonous Lactic Acid Bacteria in Raw Milk Soft-Ripened Cheese under Different Water Activity Conditions

Posted on January 6, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

The effect of selected autochthonous Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) against Listeria monocytogenes was evaluated in two elaborations of soft-ripened cheese performed under high and low relative humidity (RH) elaborations, to achieve aw ranging from 0.97 to 0.94 in ripened cheeses. Two selected autochthonous strains of Lacticaseibacillus casei 31 and 116 were used. In each elaboration, 8 batches were physicochemically and microbiologically evaluated throughout the ripening process. The aw and pH decreased during ripening to final values ranging from 0.944 to 0.972 aw and 5.0 to 5.3 pH, respectively. LAB was the only microbial group that increased throughout the ripening in high and low RH elaborations. In batches that were uninoculated with LAB strains, L. monocytogenes was either maintained at the initial inoculation level or showed a slight reduction by the end of the ripening process. However, in LAB-inoculated batches in the two elaborations, steady decreases of L. monocytogenes were observed throughout maturation. L. casei 31 alone or in combination with strain 116 provoked reductions of 2 to 4 log CFU/g in L. monocytogenes over 60 days of ripening, which could be enough as a strategy for biocontrol to deal with the usual contamination by L. monocytogenes during cheese processing.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, LAB, lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus, Listeria, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese, Research

Research – Positive and negative aspects of bacteriophages and their immense role in the food chain

Posted on January 6, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Nature

Abstract

Bacteriophages infect and replicate inside a bacterial host as well as serve as natural bio-control agents. Phages were once viewed as nuisances that caused fermentation failures with cheese-making and other industrial processes, which lead to economic losses, but phages are now increasingly being observed as being promising antimicrobials that can fight against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Pathogen-free meals that fulfil industry requirements without synthetic additives are always in demand in the food sector. This study introduces the readers to the history, sources, and biology of bacteriophages, which include their host ranges, absorption mechanisms, lytic profiles, lysogenic profiles, and the influence of external factors on the growth of phages. Phages and their derivatives have emerged as antimicrobial agents, biodetectors, and biofilm controllers, which have been comprehensively discussed in addition to their potential applications in the food and gastrointestinal tract, and they are a feasible and safe option for preventing, treating, and/or eradicating contaminants in various foods and food processing environments. Furthermore, phages and phage-derived lytic proteins can be considered potential antimicrobials in the traditional farm-to-fork context, which include phage-based mixtures and commercially available phage products. This paper concludes with some potential safety concerns that need to be addressed to enable bacteriophage use efficiently.

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Posted in Bacteriophage, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, Phage, Research, Technology

Research – Novel Methods for the Mitigation of Human Pathogens and Mycotoxin Contamination of High Value California Specialty Crops

Posted on January 6, 2024 by | Leave a comment

ARS USDA

Successful execution of these Objectives will contribute to field by: improving our knowledge of how microbial populations can affect and impact food safety and public health and delineating how pathogens are transmitted and disseminated in and among plant crops allowing for future development of improved/alternate interventions and control strategies

(Objectives 1-4); developing novel intervention strategies using sustainable, natural fungicide alternatives that eliminate aflatoxigenic fungi; enhancing our knowledge regarding the prevalence of azole-resistant aspergilli with enhanced aflatoxin production

(Objective 5); and developing novel methods to control invasive insect pests and reducing the need for the use of radioisotopes for irradiation

(Objective 6). These Objectives, if successful, will allow growers to produce a safer food supply and reduce the use of toxic chemicals (pesticides) and enhance environmental quality.

Objective 1: Identify and characterize agricultural soils that suppress the persistence of the human pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Objective 2: Examine the microbiomes, potential for human pathogen colonization, and effectiveness of biological control agents on lettuces grown in indoor vertical hydroponic systems.

Objective 3: Examine the effects of bacterial biocontrol candidate strains on population dynamics of black Aspergillus spp. on grapes and raisins.

Objective 4: Identification and utilization of antifungal metabolites from microbial sources as interventions. •

Sub-objective 4A: Identification of antifungal metabolites from candidate biocontrol bacteria collected from raisin grape vineyards. •

Sub-objective 4B: Isolation and characterization of bacteria with antifungal activities from pistachio orchards.

Objective 5: Development of resistance management augmenting fungal and mycotoxin elimination. •

Sub-objective 5A: Determine the prevalence of azole-resistant aspergilli (A. flavus, A. parasiticus) that produce increased levels of mycotoxins in California tree nut orchards. •

Sub-objective 5B: Develop new intervention strategies for the control of azole-resistant Aspergillus species utilizing natural products/derivatives as fungicide alternatives.

Objective 6: Investigate novel methods to address mycotoxin contamination of tree nuts through control of fungal and insect vectors. •

Sub-objective 6A: Evaluate X-ray based irradiation as an alternative to gamma irradiation for SIT. •

Sub-objective 6B: Investigate high pressure steam as a tool for orchard sanitation through destruction of overwintering NOW larvae in pistachio mummies.

Objective 7: The use of previously approved natural products as an accelerated chemical interventions strategy to inhibit food-associated mycotoxins, fungal pathogens, and their insect pest transmitters. •

Sub-objective 7A: Identify previously approved natural products that inhibit mycotoxins and fungal pathogens frequently found in food contaminations. •

Sub-objective 7B: Identify previously approved natural products that immunosuppress insect pests and increase their sensitivity to microbes.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin B1, Alternaria Toxin, Animal Feed Aflatoxin, Animal Feed Mould Toxin, Aspergillus Toxin, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Toxin, Fusarium Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Ochratoxin A, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Toxin

Research – Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Aeration and Chlorination during Washing to Reduce E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, and L. innocua on Cucumbers and Bell Peppers

Posted on January 6, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

The attachment strength of bacteria to surfaces can affect the efficacy of sanitizers during washing. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of chlorination and aeration in the removal of pathogens from the surface of produce. Cucumbers and bell peppers were inoculated with Listeria innocua, Escherichia coli O157:H7, or Salmonella enterica; afterwards, the produce was washed with or without chlorinated water (100 ppm) for 3 min in combination with or without aeration. Cucumbers washed with chlorinated water, with or without aeration, presented significant reductions of L. innocua (3.65 log CFU/cm2 and 1.13 log CFU/cm2, respectively) (p < 0.05). Similarly, bell peppers washed in chlorinated water with aeration (1.91 log CFU/g) and without aeration (2.49 log CFU/g) presented significant reductions of L. innocua. A significant reduction of L. innocua was observed on bell peppers washed with non-chlorinated water with aeration (2.49 log CFU/g) (p < 0.05). Non-chlorinated water was also effective in significantly reducing the level of Salmonella enterica (p < 0.05) on cucumbers and bell peppers. Washing with chlorinated water with aeration reduced Salmonella enterica levels from 4.45 log CFU/cm2 on cucumbers to below the detectable limit (0.16 log CFU/cm2). The highest reduction of Salmonella enterica from bell peppers occurred after washing with chlorinated water with aeration (2.48 log CFU/g). E. coli O157:H7, L. innocua, and Salmonella enterica levels present in non-chlorinated water after washing contaminated produce with or without aeration were significantly greater than those in chlorinated water (p < 0.05). After treatment, the population levels of all pathogens in chlorinated water with or without aeration were below the detectable limit for bell peppers (<1.10 log CFU/mL) and cucumbers (<1.20 log CFU/mL). Using chlorine in combination with forced aeration during washing minimizes cross-contamination of bacterial pathogens.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, Hurdle Technology, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli, Technology

USA – California health officials issue public warning about Shemshad products because of botulism risk

Posted on January 5, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat Shemshad’s Mulberry Molasses and Mulberry Jam jarred food products because they were produced outside of the health department’s Cannery Program oversight, making them susceptible to contamination with Clostridium botulinum.

Ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed jarred and canned foods may lead to serious illness and death.

There is concern that consumers may have the products in their homes because of their long shelf life.

Consumers that observe the product being offered for sale are encouraged to report the activity to the CDPH toll-free complaint line at 800-495-3232.

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Poisoning