Category Archives: Bacteria

Research New Bacterial Identification Technology

Posted on January 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP), which recently received approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is one lab test that can do the job of many,  expertly scanning a solitary stool sample for 11 different illness-inducing organisms.

To many, that sounds an impressive feat in an of itself. But considering that 179 million Americans are stricken with gastroenteritis every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s also one that can come in handy. Infectious gastroenteritis is caused by certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites and can be spread easily through person-to-person contact or from contaminated food, water, and surfaces. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.

The  xTAG can scan for  bacteria including Campylobacter, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) toxin A/B, Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) LT/ST, Salmonella, Shigella and Shiga‐like Toxin producing E. coli (STEC) stx 1/stx 2. It can scan for viruses including Norovirus and Rotavirus A. And it can scan for parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Clostridium difficile, Cryptosporidium, E.coli, E.coli O103, E.coli O104, E.coli O145, E.coli O157, E.coli O26, EHEC, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Giardia, Methods, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Rotavirus

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USA – Raw Beef Recalled – E.coli O157

Posted on January 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Glenn’s Market and Catering, a Watertown, WI establishment, is recalling approximately 2,532 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to recall:  Various size packages of Glenn’s Market ground round, ground chuck and ground beef sold between Dec. 22, 2012 and Jan. 4, 2013.

The products subject to recall were sold only at Glenn’s Market and Catering in Watertown, WI from the retail meat case.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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USA -FDA – Recall Cheese STEC E.coli

Posted on January 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDA

The State Milk Board, in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, announced today that Homestead Creamery of Jamesport, Mo. is voluntarily withdrawing a batch of its Flory’s Favorite cheese from the marketplace.

Preliminary test results received from the Missouri State Health Laboratory indicate the cheese may be contaminated with Shiga-Toxin producing E.coli, which can lead to food borne illness. Confirmatory tests are ongoing.

The Homestead Creamery plant license to sell milk products in Missouri has been temporarily suspended, pending the results of the investigation by the State Milk Board and Missouri departments of Agriculture and Health and Senior Services.

The withdrawn product, Flory’s Favorite, is a 60-day aged cheese made with raw milk. Packages of the cheese are marked with “Packed On 210” on the label. This affects approximately 250 pounds of cheese and does not affect any other dairy products from Homestead Creamery.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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Canada – More Recalls Lettuce – E.coli O157

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CFIACIFA

Reference Number: 7688
Recalling Firm: FRESHPOINT TORONTO
Date of Recall: 1/13/2013
Recall Classification: 1
Distribution : New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Extent of the Product Distribution : Hotel/Restaurant/Institutional

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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UK – Takeaway Owner Jailed for E.coli Outbreak

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | 5 comments

BBC NewsEcoli Istock

The owner of a Cardiff takeaway has been jailed for eight months following an outbreak of E. coli.

Diar Wali Ali admitted at Cardiff magistrates’ court to 23 food hygiene offences and was jailed on Monday.

In August 2011, nine customers fell ill with food poisoning after visiting the Adonis Kebab House in City Road, Roath.

The takeaway was closed for two weeks while inspections were carried out and the council was satisfied the risks had been removed.

Councillor Derek Morgan, chair of Cardiff council’s public protection committee, said people had a right to eat safe food and certain levels of hygiene.

“However, where poor hygiene practices and substandard conditions are found, we take immediate action to safeguard public health,” he said.

“I hope this case helps to show how seriously we take this commitment and demonstrate that, where appropriate, we will use the full force of the law to ensure food safety regulations are met.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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USA – Raw Milk Cheese Recall – E.coli STEC

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

E.coli Blog

The State Milk Board, in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, announced today that Homestead Creamery of Jamesport, Mo. is voluntarily withdrawing a batch of its Flory’s Favorite cheese from the marketplace.

Preliminary test results received from the Missouri State Health Laboratory indicate the cheese may be contaminated with Shiga-Toxin producing E.coli, which can lead to food borne illness. Confirmatory tests are ongoing.

The Homestead Creamery plant license to sell milk products in Missouri has been temporarily suspended, pending the results of the investigation by the State Milk Board and Missouri departments of Agriculture and Health and Senior Services.

The withdrawn product, Flory’s Favorite, is a 60-day aged cheese made with raw milk. Packages of the cheese are marked with “Packed On 210″ on the label. This affects approximately 250 pounds of cheese and does not affect any other dairy products from Homestead Creamery.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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USA – CDC – Pet Hedghogs and Salmonella Typhimurium

Posted on January 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CDChttp://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Olaf1541

A total of 16 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 7 states.

  • The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Indiana (1), Michigan (3), Minnesota (2), Ohio (2), Oregon (1), and Washington (6).
  • 30% of ill persons for whom information is available have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
  • 50% of ill persons are children 10 years of age or younger.
  • Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback findings have linked this outbreak of human Salmonella infections to contact with pet hedgehogs purchased from multiple hedgehog breeders in different states.
  • It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching hedgehogs or anything in the area where they live and roam. Adults should supervise hand washing for young children.

I must admit I did not even know that you could get pet Hedghogs

 

Picture Courtesy of http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Olaf1541

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Posted in Bacteria, Microbiology, Pathogen, Pet Food, Salmonella

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USA – Raw Milk STEC Outbreak

Posted on January 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

 Food Poisoning Journal

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has become aware of several cases of diarrheal illness from northwest Missouri, possibly caused by Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including one confirmed as E. coli O103. These may be related to the consumption of locally-produced, raw (unpasteurized) dairy products.

DHSS recommends that any person who has signs or symptoms of STEC infection seek medical care. Health care providers should evaluate patients adequately to determine if testing for STEC infection is warranted.

Symptoms of STEC infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which is often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high. Most patients’ symptoms improve within 5–7 days, but some patients go on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), usually about a week after the diarrhea starts. The classic triad of findings in HUS are acute renal damage, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O103, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Microbiology, O103, outbreak, Pathogen

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USA – Sister Sarah Products Recall – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on January 12, 2013 by | 1 comment

Food Safety News

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning consumers not to eat “Sister Sara’s Good for You” products because they may have been improperly produced, making them susceptible to contamination with Clostridium botulinum.

No illnesses have been linked to any of the affected products at this time. The products were sold at certified farmers markets in Alameda County.

Sister Sara of Pleasanton, CA., recalled the products after CDPH discovered they were produced without the required controls to prevent formation of botulism toxin. Ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed foods can lead to serious illness and death.

The products were sold under the Sister Sara label and packaged in one-pint glass canning jars with screw-on metal lids. The products were labeled as “Sister Sara’s Good for You Soup,” “Sister Sara’s Bread & Butter Pickles,” “Sister Sara’s Pickled Beets,” and “Sister Sara’s Old Fashioned Dill Pickles.”

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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Canada – KFC – Taco Bell Lettuce – E.coli

Posted on January 12, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinSalmonella

The source of an E.coli outbreak that has sickened at least 16 people in Canada was lettuce served at Taco Bell and KFC restaurants, health officials in New Brunswick have discovered.  The outbreak affected three provinces: New Brunswick, where six people became ill and Nova Scotia and Ontario which each had five cases.

“Based on the information we have collected and shared with other provinces, we believe that lettuce has been a common food source among cases,” said Dr. Eilish Cleary, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health. “Since lettuce has a limited shelf life, it is highly unlikely that some from the affected lots remain in restaurants.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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