RASFF – Norovirus in Oysters in Denamark sourced in France
RASFF– Norovirus on Oysters in Italy sopurced in France
RASFF– Histamine in Sardines in Cyprus sourced in Thailand
RASFF – Salmonella in Forzen Turkey Kebab in Italy sourced in Poland
RASFF – Histamine in Yellow Fin Tuna in Italy sourced in Spain
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Histamine, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella
Tagged food, histamine, norovirus, rasff, yellow fin tuna
Kaytee Products is recalling several bird treats and greens items due to possible contamination of Salmonella from parsley flake ingredients supplied to Kaytee by Specialty Commodities, Inc., an outside supplier to Kaytee.
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Pathogen, Pet Food, Recall
Tagged bird treats, flake, food, restaurants, specialty commodities inc
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada Safeway Limited are warning the public not to consume The Gourmet Meat Shoppe and The Butcher’s Cut brands of Frozen Beef Burgers described below because these products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged food, restaurants, science, transportation
MKG Provisions of Miami, FL is recalling Atlantic Smoked Salmon Batch# 1768
consisting of several brands of products listed below which have the potential
to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can
cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly
people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals
may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache,
stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause
miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
GUWAHATI: At least 400 people, including children, were taken ill after food poisoning in North Dimoria block of Kamrup (Metro) district on Friday.
Children of Durung ME School, Koraiguri LP School and Koikari LP School went to their respective institutions for Saraswati Puja on Friday. They fell ill after they consumed grams and khichri. On Saturday morning, the patients were admitted to the 30-bed Khetri Hospital and Sonapur Primary Healthcare Centre from where the critical ones were referred to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital(GMCH).
Principal of GMCH Kabul Saikia, said: “More than 400 people fell ill after consuming grams and khichri. The figure may increase. In our hospital, about 23 patients were admitted till 7.30 pm and more patients are on their way. Among the 23 patients, 15 are adults. It is difficult to tell the exact figure now.”
“We have opened one relief camp at Khetri and five doctors have been sent to the site. The critical patients are being brought here for treatment. The patients complained of vomiting, fever, dizziness, diarrhoea and abdominal pain,” he added.
He said: “We are making all arrangements to provide best possible treatment.”
Bhojan Das, the father of Vikram who has been admitted to GMCH, said: “My son who studies in Durong ME School went to his institution on Friday and ate grams and khichri. From early morning, he complained of vomiting and abdominal pain and his body turned pale. Noticing this, we took him to the nearby clinic from where he was referred to GMCH.”
According to the report made available by the GMCH superintendent, Ramen Talukdar around 8.30 pm: “More than 100 patients have been admitted to the hospital and 300 are on their way. As there is limited capacity of beds in our hospital, around 50 patients have been sent to Mohendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital .
Ambulance have been called in from Morigaon, Guwahati and Jagiroad. Moreover, five buses have been engaged to bring patients to the hospital.”
RASFF– Norovirus in Clams in Italy sourced in Turkey
RASFF – Norovirus in Oysters in Italy sourced in France
RASFF – Salmonella in Frozen Turkey and Poultry Kebab in Italy sourced in Germany via Poland
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella, Virus, Water
Tagged food, frozen turkey, health, norovirus, rasff
The State Department of Health is investigating an outbreak of a food borne illness linked to raw milk. Officials have confirmed four cases of Campylobacter infection in people who drank raw milk on the Kenai Peninsula. The illness causes diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
Dr. Brian Yablon is a medical epidemiologist with the state. He says the cases have all been identified by the state lab in the last three weeks:
“When they looked at these strains, they found that the four specimens were all exactly the same type, so that is consistent with a cluster of illnesses and when we found out additional information it seemed that all of the people who developed the infection had consumed raw milk or unpasteurized milk in the proceeding several days before they got sick,” Yablon said.
The state is still working to identify the source of the raw milk. A farmer named Kevin Byers in Kasilof distributes raw milk to families around the state. He did not agree to a recorded interview, but said he doesn’t know if his milk is responsible for the outbreak. He says his customers drink his milk for the perceived health benefits. According to a recent newspaper article, Byers has 150 customers as far away as Sitka.
Selling raw milk is illegal in Alaska. But farmers have found ways to do it legally.
Abstract:
This study evaluated the efficacy of a PCR-based system (DuPont Qualicon BAX) for detection of Salmonella in sprouts and spent irrigation water collected during sprouting of seeds naturally contaminated with Salmonella. Alfalfa seeds were grown in Mason jars at 20 and 30°C for 3 days. Levels of Salmonella present in the water and sprouts were determined by most-probable-number (MPN) analysis. Background microflora levels were also determined. Samples of spent irrigation water and sprouts were enriched overnight individually in tetrathionate broth and in buffered peptone water with novobiocin at 42°C and then run in the BAX system. Samples were also enriched according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Bacteriological Analytical Manual (FDA BAM) method for Salmonella as a comparison. Salmonella levels were lower at 20°C compared with 30°C for some trials, and background microflora levels ranged from 107 to 108 CFU/g or ml at 20°C and 108 to 109 CFU/g or ml at 30°C. In trials with a Salmonella level >1.1 MPN/g or ml, both the BAX and FDA BAM methods were able to detect Salmonella in all samples. In trials with lower levels (0.21 MPN/g or ml or lower) of Salmonella, BAX was able to detect more positive samples than FDA BAM. For one trial with <0.003 MPN/g or ml of Salmonella, the presence of the pathogen was not indicated by either the BAX or the FDA BAM method. The results suggest that PCR detected low levels of Salmonella in sprouts or spent irrigation water collected from sprouting of naturally contaminated seeds.
Since June 4, 2012, a total of 124 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 12 states.
32% of ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Most of the ill persons have been reported from two states, Washington (56) and Oregon (38).
State public health officials are interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.
Information available to date indicates that consumption of chicken is the most likely source of infection for many of the ill persons.
Oregon and Washington have identified Foster Farms brand chicken as the most likely source of the infections in their states.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) is currently conducting an investigation to determine the source of infections in this outbreak.
It is not unusual for raw poultry from any producer to have Salmonella. This underscores the importance for consumers to follow food safety tips to help protect themselves and others from foodborne illness.
FoodWorld 