My name is Keith Watkins and I have been working in the food industry for over 30 years mostly in Laboratory or QA roles with special interest in food microbiology. I have worked in manufacturing sites and contract laboratories. I decided to start this blog to help disseminate information about issues and updates in food microbiology and related topics that those of you in the industry may find interesting. The idea is not to have long-winded articles but just word bites that pass on information with links to the original articles. That way you can quickly scan what may be of interest to you and discard what is not.
The other very useful tool is the search box which can be used to find information about research, outbreaks, incidents and individual microoganisms. I use it as my own library of food microbiology information and you can as well
Please feel free to leave comments on issues that you may like included or issues about content.
FoodWorld 
Foodpharmalab.wordpress link
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both educative and interesting, and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The problem is something which too few men and women are speaking intelligently about. Now i’m very happy I found this during
my search for something regarding this.
Dear Keith,
I have been receiving emails from KSW with all the outbreaks worldwide and other useful information every day for about a year.
Useful as it is to read individual incidents of food poisoning is there any chance of getting summary information i.e how many outbreaks were there associated with melons worldwide in 2017 and which pathogens caused these outbreaks?
Regards,
Simon
Simon Doff
07970 576673
Hi Simon
I have found this data so far but it doesnt cover 2017. I will see waht else i can find
A table of cantaloupe-related outbreaks is available at http://barfblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Cantaloupe-Related-Outbreaks-8-12.xlsx
Dear Keith,
Thank you.
Is the kind of information you provided for cantaloupe melons available for all major food ingredients?
I have seen such a thing on a raw material vulnerability software package called Horizon Scan made by Fera. The only problem with it is that it costs £2,000.
Regards,
Simon
Hi Simon
We are working on something at ALS, i will keep you informed as it progresses.
It ca ntake some searching but mostly the information is around for major food products
Keith
Keith! Hi how are you?
Great blog!
Hi Ali
Long time no speak 🙂
All good here, getting older of course but still wading through microbiology issues. How about you, what are you up to?
I know! Hasn’t it been a really long time. Still holding the fought for food safety in Sydney – auditing and consulting. Loving every minute.
It hasn’t changed too much over here, still the same old micro issues but it keeps me employed. ERAM now called INFAWM is still running stronger then ever. Glad to see that Oz is still working well, it was good to see that time in Sydney 🙂
That’s great to hear (old) ERAM is still running – great forum.
If you’re ever in this part of the world again, I’d love to catch up again.