Category Archives: Clostridium

Research – Prevalence and Characterisation of Clostridium perfringens Isolates in Food-Producing Animals in Romania

MDPI

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) recovered from animal faeces, as well as to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of such isolates. A total of 14 (14/100; 14%) C. perfringens isolates were isolated from the 100 analysed samples (twelve recovered from faecal samples collected from pigs and two from veal calves’ faecal samples). The preponderant genotype was type A, with all isolates being cpa-positive. The most potent antimicrobial agents against C. perfringens proved to be vancomycin, rifampicin and lincomycin. A strong resistance to tetracycline (71.4%), penicillin (64.2%), erythromycin (42.8%) and enrofloxacin (35.7%) was also observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analysis regarding the prevalence, characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of C. perfringens in food-producing animals in Romania, adding further evidence for the probable role of animals as a source of resistant C. perfringens strains.

Viet Nam – HCMC botulism patient dies before receiving antitoxin sent from Switzerland

e-vnexpress

The World Health Organization has dispatched rare drug to HCMC to treat patients critically ill with botulism after eating pork bologna and fermented food, but one died shortly after it arrived.

Sent from Switzerland, six vials of botulism antitoxin heptavalent (BAT) arrived on Wednesday to be administered to the three men, aged 18, 26 and 45, the Ministry of Health said.

Two of them are under treatment at Cho Ray Hospital and the other at Gia Dinh Hospital.

But the 45-year-old patient at Gia Dinh died on Wednesday night before he was injected with the drug, the hospital announced Thursday morning.

Produced by Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc., the drug effectively neutralizes all known botulinum nerve toxin serotypes. Without it, botulism patients could be paralyzed permanently.

Between May 13 and 20 six people in Thu Duc City suffered from botulinum poisoning, five after eating pork bologna sold by street vendors and one due to eating a type of fermented food.

France – Chickpea Oyster Mushroom Tartiloop – Clostridium botulinum

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Others
  • Product brand name Champiloop – Tartiloop
  • Model names or references Chickpea oyster mushroom tartiloop, vegan spread with mushrooms
  • Identification of products
    GTIN Batch Date
    3770025912066 2022299-1 Use-by date 26/10/2024
  • Packaging 140g
  • Marketing start/end date From 01/11/2022 to 18/04/2023
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored at room temperature
  • Further information weck jar
  • Geographic area of ​​sale agglomeration of Grenoble
  • Distributors38000: the little ravito, montvrac, the good pickaxe, cse synchrotron 38410: manabio

France – CANNED RED BEAN – Clostridium botulinum

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Fruits and vegetables
  • Product brand name DESFARGES
  • Model names or references Red beans in DESFARGES jars
  • Identification of products
    Batch Date
    batch F18-1212 Date of minimum durability 05/05/2025
    BATCH F48-1172 Date of minimum durability 02/12/2024
  • Packaging glass jar 600g, net drained weight 300g
  • Marketing start/end date From 10/01/2022 to 20/04/2023
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored at room temperature
  • Geographic area of ​​sale Departments: AIN (01), ISERE (38), RHONE (69)
  • Distributors so bio, biocoop, retail groceries, market

France – CANNED WHITE INGOT BEANS – Clostridium botulinum

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Fruits and vegetables
  • Product brand name DESFARGES
  • Model names or references PRESERVED WHITE INGOT BEAN
  • Identification of products
    Batch Date
    F50-1403 Date of minimum durability 12/15/2025
    BATCH F23-1229 Date of minimum durability 07/06/2025
  • Packaging GLASS JAR 600 G, DRAINED NET WEIGHT 300 G
  • Marketing start/end date From 01/07/2022 to 20/04/2023
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored at room temperature
  • Further information WHITE INGO BEANS JAR
  • Geographic area of ​​sale Departments: AIN (01), RHONE (69)
  • Distributors SO BIO, retail groceries, biocoop,

Quebec – Notice not to consume smoked mussels and warning concerning the lack of information necessary for the consumption of certain smoked fish products, prepared and sold by Poissonnerie de la Baie inc. by Bonaventure – Clostridium botulinum

Quebec

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with the company Poissonnerie de la Baie inc., located at 170, avenue de Port- Royal , in Bonaventure, warns the public not to consume the product indicated in the table below, because the retailer mentioned above has not prepared and packaged it in such a way as to ensure its safety. Indeed, this product could promote the proliferation of the bacterium  Clostridium botulinum .

Product name

Format

Affected lot

“ATKINS SMOKED MUSSELS”

Unitary

Units sold until May 12, 2023

In addition, the MAPAQ, in collaboration with the same company, warns the population not to consume the products indicated in the table below beyond 14 days following the date of packaging.

Product name

Format

Affected lot

“SMOKED SALMON BITES IN LERABLE”

Variable

Units sold until May 12, 2023

“ATKINS SMOKED TURBOT FILLET”

Variable

Units sold until May 12, 2023

The products that are the subject of this warning were offered for sale until May 12, 2023 inclusively, and only at the establishment designated above. The smoked fish products were vacuum packed in a transparent plastic bag and the smoked mussels were packed in glass jars with a metal lid. The products were all sold chilled. The label of the products included, in addition to their name, the words “Poissonnerie de la Baie”.

The operator is voluntarily recalling the products in question. It has agreed with MAPAQ to issue this warning as a precautionary measure. 

Smoked mussels  : people who have this product in their possession are advised not to consume it. They must return it to the establishment where they bought it or throw it away. Even if the affected product shows no signs of tampering or suspicious odors, its consumption may represent a health risk.

Maple Smoked Salmon Bites and Smoked Turbot Fillets  : People who have either of these products in their possession are advised not to consume it if it has been packaged for more than 14 days. They must return it to the establishment where they bought it or throw it away. Even if the affected products show no signs of tampering or suspicious odors, their consumption may represent a health risk. In fact, when smoked fish is sold refrigerated, mandatory preventive measuresThis link will open in a new window. must be taken with regard to the type of packaging and the shelf life.

It should be noted that no case of illness associated with the consumption of these foods has been reported to MAPAQ to date.

Catalonia – Alert for the presence of Clostridium perfringens in lots of cinnamon from Vietnam

ACSA

cinnamon much of the alert

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition has communicated to the competent authorities of the autonomous communities and the Center for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies (CCAES), through the Coordinated  System of Rapid Information Exchange  (SCIRI), a alert, transferred by the health authorities of the Community of Madrid, regarding the presence of Clostridium perfringens in cinnamon molta of the Especias Pedroza brand.

The data of the product involved are:

  • Product Name:  Ground Cinnamon
  • Brand/commercial name : Especias Pedroza
  • Product appearance: Plastic packaging
  • Batch numbers and best before dates: 
    • A220079, 12/31/2023
    • A222605, 02/28/2026
  • Unit weight:  700 g
  • Temperature: Ambient.

The withdrawal of the affected products from the marketing channels will be verified by the competent authorities.

People who have products affected by this alert at home are advised to refrain from consuming them and return them to the point of purchase.

France – Bottled CHICKPEA – Clostridium botulinum

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Fruits and vegetables
  • Product brand name DISCHARGES
  • Model names or references CHICKPEA
  • Identification of products
    Lot Date
    F44-1357 Best before date 02/11/2025
  • Packaging 600g glass jar
  • Marketing start/end date From 22/11/2022 to 23/03/2023
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored at room temperature
  • Further information product from organic farming
  • Geographic area of ​​sale Departments: AIN (01), ISERE (38), RHONE (69)
  • Distributors biocoop villeurbanne and charancieu, so organic Lozanne, so organic Craponne, Marechal fraicheur, the little distrib, Léonie’s grocery store, Father Baptiste, the Miribel farm

Practical information regarding the recall

  • Reason for recall sample unstable after incubation, the sample does not meet the requirements of article 14 of regulation (EC) n°178/2002
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Clostridium botulinum (agent responsible for botulism)

Research – FSA Vacuum Packing/MAP Guidance – more questions asked

CFA

In June 2022 CFA Director General Karin Goodburn MBE gave evidence to the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) Subgroup conducting the review of the entire risk basis of the FSA Guidelines on the control of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum in the vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging of chilled food (CFA News 58) and looking more widely at botulism risks.

The subgroup was not authorised by FSA to review the guidance in relation to fresh meat although industry maintains that it does not reflect internationally-established risk. CFA is seeking correction of technical errors and removal of UK-only technical barriers to businesses. Instead, as is standard for other pathogens, information required for the use of HACCP should be provided by FSA including continuing to allow the use of risk-based data for the use of novel thermal and other processes.

Research – Physical Treatments to Control Clostridium botulinum Hazards in Food

MDPI

Abstract

Clostridium botulinum produces Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), causing a rare but potentially deadly type of food poisoning called foodborne botulism. This review aims to provide information on the bacterium, spores, toxins, and botulisms, and describe the use of physical treatments (e.g., heating, pressure, irradiation, and other emerging technologies) to control this biological hazard in food. As the spores of this bacterium can resist various harsh environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, the thermal inactivation of 12-log of C. botulinum type A spores remains the standard for the commercial sterilization of food products. However, recent advancements in non-thermal physical treatments present an alternative to thermal sterilization with some limitations. Low- (<2 kGy) and medium (3–5 kGy)-dose ionizing irradiations are effective for a log reduction of vegetative cells and spores, respectively; however, very high doses (>10 kGy) are required to inactivate BoNTs. High-pressure processing (HPP), even at 1.5 GPa, does not inactivate the spores and requires heat combination to achieve its goal. Other emerging technologies have also shown some promise against vegetative cells and spores; however, their application to C. botulinum is very limited. Various factors related to bacteria (e.g., vegetative stage, growth conditions, injury status, type of bacteria, etc.) food matrix (e.g., compositions, state, pH, temperature, aw, etc.), and the method (e.g., power, energy, frequency, distance from the source to target, etc.) influence the efficacy of these treatments against C. botulinum. Moreover, the mode of action of different physical technologies is different, which provides an opportunity to combine different physical treatment methods in order to achieve additive and/or synergistic effects. This review is intended to guide the decision-makers, researchers, and educators in using physical treatments to control C. botulinum hazards.