Author Archives: KSW

UK – Update – Route des Terroirs recalls Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy Cheese because of contamination with E. Coli – STEC

Posted on December 26, 2023 | Leave a comment

FSA

Route des Terroirs is recalling Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy Raw Cows’ Milk Cheese because Shiga toxin-producing E. Coli has been found in some batches of this product.
There is no change to the products affected, the update relates to a correction of the symptoms associated with E. Coli STEC.

Product details

Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy
Batch code all
Best before All dates up to and including 24 January 2024

Risk statement

The presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in some batches of the product listed above.

Symptoms caused by STEC organisms include severe diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea), abdominal pain, and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome, (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

Action taken by the company

Route des Terroirs is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed where the products were sold. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products. Please see the attached notice.

Customer Notice: Route des Terroirs Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy Cheese (79.42 KB)

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought to discuss options for a full refund. The cheese is sometimes sold as a full block or served as individual portions. It may have been provided as part of a hamper you’ve purchased or been gifted. It may not always be clear whether you have purchased an affected product. If in doubt, you are advised to contact the retailer the product was bought from to find out if the cheese you have is from the businesses and batches affected. In the meantime, do not eat the product and ensure it is stored safely, fully wrapped and not in contact with any other foods.

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, fsa, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese, STEC, STEC E.coli

UK – Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese Ltd recalls Lancashire Cheese because of possible contamination with E. Coli

Posted on December 26, 2023 | Leave a comment

FSA

Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese Ltd has taken the precautionary step of recalling various Lancashire Cheese products because the products might contain E. Coli.
The cheeses are sometimes sold as a full block or served as individual portions, it may have been provided as part of a hamper you’ve purchased or been gifted. In some cases it’s been sold as part of a charcutier grazing platter. It may not always be clear whether you have purchased an affected product. If in doubt, consumers are advised to contact the retailer they bought their cheese from to find out if the cheese they have purchased is from the businesses and batches affected and, in the meantime, to not eat the product and ensure it is stored safely, fully wrapped and not in contact with other foods.

Product details

Mrs Kirkham’s Mild & Creamy Lancashire  
Pack size All sizes
Use by All use by dates of all batches purchased since 1 October 2023
Mrs Kirkham’s Tasty Lancashire
Pack size All sizes
Use by All use by dates of all batches purchased since 1 October 2023
Mrs Kirkham’s Mature Lancashire
Pack size All sizes
Use by All use by dates of all batches purchased since 1 October 2023
Mrs Kirkham’s Smoked Lancashire
Pack size All sizes
Use by All use by dates of all batches purchased since 1 October 2023

Risk statement

The products listed above might be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, (STEC).

Symptoms caused by STEC organisms include severe diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea), abdominal pain, and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome, (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

Action taken by the company

Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese Ltd is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed where the products were sold. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products.

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund. Ensure the products is thoroughly wrapped and does not come into contact with any other foods. Wash your hands, equipment, utensils and surfaces that may have come into contact with the product thoroughly.

Related alerts

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Posted in E.coli, 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, fsa

UK – Route des Terroirs recalls Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy Cheese because of contamination with E. Coli

Posted on December 26, 2023 | Leave a comment

FSA

Route des Terroirs is recalling Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy Raw Cows’ Milk Cheese because Shiga toxin-producing E. Coli has been found in some batches of this product.

Product details

Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy
Batch code all
Best before All dates up to and including 24 January 2024

Risk statement

The presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in some batches of the product listed above.

Symptoms caused by this organism can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.

Some people are more vulnerable to Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.

Action taken by the company

Route des Terroirs is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed where the products were sold. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products. Please see the attached notice.

Route des Terroirs recalls Morbier Maison Monts & Terroirs Chalet De Vevy Cheese because of contamination with E. Coli (212.23 KB)

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought to discuss options for a full refund. The cheese is sometimes sold as a full block or served as individual portions. It may have been provided as part of a hamper you’ve purchased or been gifted. It may not always be clear whether you have purchased an affected product. If in doubt, you are advised to contact the retailer the product was bought from to find out if the cheese you have is from the businesses and batches affected. In the meantime, do not eat the product and ensure it is stored safely, fully wrapped and not in contact with any other foods.

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, fsa, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese

Research – Scientists look into Listeria risk in Costa Rica and Ecuador

Posted on December 24, 2023 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

According to researchers, mandatory reporting of Listeria infections in Costa Rica would help improve knowledge of the pathogen in the country.

Listeriosis is not a notifiable disease in the country, so its prevalence is unknown, and the diversity of Listeria monocytogenes circulating is unclear.

Previous studies found Listeria monocytogenes in various foods in Costa Rica, with contamination levels between 5 and 20 percent in processed meat products and fresh cheeses.

Researchers used whole genome sequencing (WGS) to characterize 92 isolates recovered from 2009 to 2019 from 16 clinical, 67 food, and nine production environment samples.

Isolates were from urban areas, including the capital city, San José, and from rural zones where cheese production is prevalent, including Turrialba, which accounts for 70 percent of fresh cheese made in the country.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Listeria, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, WGS

Research – Foodborne pathogen inactivation in fruit juices utilizing commercial scale high-pressure processing: Effects of acidulants and pH

Posted on December 24, 2023 | Leave a comment

Research Gate

The effects of juice pH, type of acidulant, and post-treatment refrigeration on the high-pressure processing (HPP) inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes in acid beverages were evaluated. Inoculated apple, orange, and grape juices (at their original pH and adjusted to pH 4.00, 4.50, and 5.00) were treated at 550 MPa for 1 min at 5 °C. In addition, inoculated model solutions acidified to a pH of 5.00 with acetic, citric, malic, and tartaric acids were treated at 400 MPa for 1 min at 5 °C. The effect of refrigerated storage for 24 h after treatment on pathogen inactivation in both experiments was also assessed. A greater than 5-log reduction of the three pathogens inoculated was achieved in all juices immediately after HPP at the juices’ original pH, and of L. monocytogenes under all experimental conditions. Refrigerated storage for 24 h after HPP treatment improved the inactivation of E. coli O157:H7, to >5-log reduction, at pH 4.00 in apple juice and of Salmonella in the three juices at pH 4.00. The type of acidulant did not significantly ( p > 0.01) affect E. coli or Salmonella inactivation in acidified model solutions but a greater than 5-log reduction after HPP was only achieved for L. monocytogenes when acetic acid was used. The effectiveness of HPP for pathogen inactivation depended largely on product pH and the target pathogen of concern.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Microbiology Research, HPP, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Research, Salmonella, STEC, STEC E.coli

Research – Scientists assess Salmonella risk from insects

Posted on December 23, 2023 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Researchers have evaluated a range of studies focussed on Salmonella in insects to gather data for assessing the safety of insect-based foods.

The systematic review looked at 36 studies investigating Salmonella in insects.

“Data on the persistence of Salmonella can be useful for further analysis by risk assessors and decision-makers involved in the safety of insect-based food, contributing to defining the sanitary requirements and risk mitigation measures along the supply chain,” said researchers in the journal npj Science of Food.

In Europe, insect-based foods are classed as novel foods, while in the United States, insects can be used as food if they have been produced for that specific purpose following relevant rules.

Few studies were conducted on insect species currently relevant for food production, such as the house cricket or migratory locust.

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Posted in Edible Insects, Food Microbiology Research, Insects, Research

Research -Prevalence of Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes, and Population Levels of Food Safety Indicator Microorganisms in Retail Raw Chicken Meat and Ready-To-Eat Fresh Leafy Greens Salads Sold in Greece

Posted on December 23, 2023 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

The presence of microbial pathogens in foods compromises their safety resulting in foodborne illnesses, public health disorders, product recalls, and economic losses. In this work, 60 samples of chilled raw chicken meat and 40 samples of packaged ready-to-eat (RTE) fresh leafy greens salads, sold in Greek retail stores (butchers and supermarkets), were analyzed for the presence of three important foodborne pathogenic bacteria, i.e., Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes, following the detection protocols of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). In parallel, the total aerobic plate count (APC), Enterobacteriaceae, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and staphylococci were also enumerated as hygiene (safety) indicator organisms. When present, representative typical colonies for each pathogen were biochemically verified, following the ISO guidelines. At the same time, all the Campylobacter isolates from chicken (n = 120) were identified to the species level and further phylogenetically discriminated through multiplex and repetitive sequence-based (rep) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, respectively. Concerning raw chicken, Campylobacter spp. were recovered from 54 samples (90.0%) and Salmonella spp. were recovered from 9 samples (15.0%), while L. monocytogenes was present in 35 samples (58.3%). No Campylobacter was recovered from salads, and Salmonella was present in only one sample (2.5%), while three salads were found to be contaminated with L. monocytogenes (7.5%). The 65% of the Campylobacter chicken isolates belonged to C. jejuni, whereas the rest, 35%, belonged to C. coli. Alarmingly, APC was equal to or above 106 CFU/g in 53.3% and 95.0% of chicken and salad samples, respectively, while the populations of some of the other safety indicators were in some cases also high. In sum, this study unravels high occurrence percentages for some pathogenic and food safety indicator microorganisms in raw chicken meat and RTE fresh leafy greens salads sold in Greek retail, highlighting the need for more extensive microbiological control throughout the food production chain (from the farm/field to the market).

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Posted in Campylobacter, escherichia coli, Food Microbiology Research, Research, Salmonella

Research – Diversity of Faecal Indicator Enterococci among Different Hosts: Importance to Water Contamination Source Tracking

Posted on December 23, 2023 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Enterococcus spp. are common bacteria present in the intestinal tracts of animals and are used as fecal indicators in aquatic environments. On the other hand, enterococci are also known as opportunistic pathogens. Elucidating their composition in the intestinal tracts of domestic animals can assist in estimating the sources of fecal contamination in aquatic environments. However, information on the species and composition of enterococci in animal hosts (except humans) is still lacking. In this study, enterococci were isolated from the feces of cattle, pigs, birds, and humans using selective media. Enterococcal species were identified using mass spectrometry technology, and each host was characterized by diversity and cluster analysis. The most dominant species were E. hirae in cattle, E. faecium in birds, and E. faecalis in pigs and humans. Cattle had the highest alpha diversity, with high interindividual and livestock farm diversity. The dominant enterococcal species in pigs and humans were identical, and cluster analysis showed that the majority of the two hosts’ species clustered together.

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Posted in Boil Water Notice, Contaminated water, Enterococcus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

USA – Final Report Released of September E. Coli Outbreak at Huntley High School

Posted on December 22, 2023 | Leave a comment

MCH

This is a very detailed 15 page report.

The most likely mode of transmission of STEC in the HHS cafeteria was through an
infected food handler. At the time of the investigation a HHS food handler, that worked at both the cold sandwich station, providing garnishes (lettuce and cheese) to the sandwiches, and at the cookie station was confirmed by PCR, to have been intermittently shedding STEC, Shiga toxin 2.
The laboratory was unable to perform a culture of the stool specimen, which is indicative of an insufficient amount of the pathogen present at the time of testing to culture. The food handler denied illness. However, since most infections are self-limiting and most individuals do not seek health care and/or are not tested, and since it has been documented that STEC can be shed for up to 62 days, it is likely that the food handler was previously mildly ill and did not associate that illness with this outbreak investigation. Since shedding of the pathogen declines over time it is not unexpected that a culture could not be performed

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

CDC – Protect your pregnancy from Listeria.

Posted on December 22, 2023 | Leave a comment

CDC

Listeria illness is rare. Every year, 4 in 100,000 pregnant people in the U.S. get sick with Listeria.

Illustration of an unborn baby inside the body.
But it can harm your baby. Sadly, 1 in 4 pregnant people who get this illness lose their pregnancy or their baby shortly after birth. That’s because the germ can spread to your baby and harm them while you are pregnant, even if you don’t feel very sick.

See more information at the link above.

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Posted in CDC, Food Microbiology Research, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Research