Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected product.
Solstice Ciderworks brand Haskap Cider recalled due to bursting cans.
The recalled product has been sold in the Yukon.
Posted in bacterial contamination, CFIA, cross contamination, Decontamination Microbial, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Quality, food recall, Food Testing, microbial contamination
African Journal of Microbiology
Abstract
The aim of this work was to determine the contamination levels of raw and roasted cashew nuts sold in Masasi and Newala districts of Mtwara region in Tanzania. A total of 60 samples including 40 roasted (24 samples from Newala and 16 from Masasi) and 20 raw samples (12 from Newala and 8 from Masasi) were collected. Determination of total aflatoxins levels in raw and roasted cashew nuts samples was carried out by immune affinity high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The levels of contamination ranged from not detected (less than limit of quantification) to 3.29 µg/kg for both aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin in the cashew nuts samples. None of the samples had total aflatoxins contamination greater than the recommended maximum residues of 4 µg/kg set by European Commission (2010) or 10 µg/kg set by FAO and WHO (1995). About a quarter (38%) of the samples had total aflatoxins less than limit of quantification. All roasted cashew nut samples were found to have total aflatoxins less than 3 µg/kg while about 86% of raw cashew nut samples had total aflatoxins less than 3 µg/kg
Posted in Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin B1, Aspergillus Toxin, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin
Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia
Two Extensive Literature Searches (ELSs) by using PubMed, Web of Science (WoS) and SciFinder for relevant studies on Ochratoxin A (OTA) and bromine, bromate and bromide (BRs) in feed were performed. Search queries allowed to obtain a total number of 8,953 and 34,183 references for OTA and BRs, respectively. The relevance analysis of the documents was performed by screening titles and abstracts against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant references accounted in each Area, for OTA and BRs, were respectively: Area 1 (Information on analytical techniques for quantification) 117 and 117 documents, respectively; Area 2 (Information on occurrence/concentrations and formation) 176 and 176 documents, respectively; Area 3 (Information on exposure of farm and companion animals) 31 and 3 documents, respectively; Area 4 (Information on toxicokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) in farm and companion animals) 37 and 8 documents, respectively; Area 5 (Information on toxicity of OTA/BRs in farm and companion animals) 249 and 23 documents, respectively; Area 6 (Information on the transfer of OTA/BRs from feed to animal derived food) 18 and 4 documents. A total number of 618 and 100 relevant non‐redundant documents was found for OTA and BRs, respectively. Those results were obtained after the full text analysis of all the document previously labelled as relevant.
Posted in Animal Feed, Animal Feed Mould Toxin, Animal Feed Testing, Aspergillus Toxin, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Ochratoxin A
Foodborne diseases are important to determine bacteria in strain level, which are analyzed by library-based devices and bioinformatics-enabled. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of principal component analysis (PCA) with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) to distinguish according to the differences of bacterial strains as rapidly screening of foodborne bacteria. The MALDI-TOF-MS-based PCA analysis was used for differentiating bacterial strains isolated from ready-to-eat foods. According to the results of PCA analysis, the percentages of distance and proximity between species were evaluated by composite correlation indexes (CCI). Bacillus cereus were detected in burghul salad (BC1) and macaroni salad (BC2) taken from the SB2-snack bar, and the similarity rate was determined as 97%. Three other B. cereus bacteria (BC3, BC4, and BC5) in the same cluster were also isolated from salads collected from SB4-snack bar. The similarity of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria, which have the codes KP1 and KP2, isolated from macaroni salad and burghul salad taken from the SB2 snack bar respectively were 96%. Additionally, the CCI values of two E. coli strains in burghul (EC1) salad and Russian salad (EC2) in the same sampling point (SB1) were determined as 97%. In conclusion, this analysis with MALDI-TOF-MS based PCA has revealed the relationships between bacteria genera and species, beyond just the identification of bacteria and the rapid screening of bacteria in perishable foodstuffs. Similarities between bacterial strains identified for different samples from the same sampling point suggested that there were not adequate hygiene rules and storage requirements were not followed.
Posted in Bacillus cereus, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Klebsiella, Malditof, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, food handler, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hand Washing, Hepatitis A, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak
Norway is hoping for an exemption to European rules on shelf-life labeling of eggs, partly because of its good Salmonella record.
In December 2022, an EU regulation entered into force that extended the period eggs can be sold to the consumer to 28 days after laying by hens. However, another change moved a provision on the best-before date for table eggs to hygiene regulations, which are part of the EEA agreement. Norway is part of the European Economic Area (EEA) but is not an EU member state. As the rule didn’t previously cover Norway, the country uses an egg shelf life of 35 days after laying.
Two ministries in Norway believe the 28-day maximum shelf life rule is justified for public health reasons in many EU member states due to the occurrence of Salmonella in eggs. However, in Norway, there is a very low incidence of Salmonella in eggs.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella, Salmonella in Eggs
This outbreak is over. Even when there are no ongoing Listeria outbreaks, people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system should reheat deli meat and deli-sliced cheese to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot to kill any germs.
Deli meats (cold cuts, lunch meats, hot dogs, and pâtés) and deli-sliced cheeses are known sources of Listeria illnesses. This is because Listeria can easily spread among food, food preparation surfaces like deli slicers, and hands. Listeria is a hardy germ that can be difficult to fully remove once it is present in a deli or a food processing facility. It can survive and grow at cold temperatures in a refrigerator.
Data showed that deli meat and cheese bought at deli counters in multiple states were the likely sources of this outbreak.
A single deli or food source was not identified. It is difficult for investigators to identify the specific source of outbreaks linked to deli meats and cheeses. This is because Listeria spreads easily between food and the deli environment, and it can live for a long time in deli display cases and on equipment. A contaminated food likely introduced the outbreak strain of Listeria into delis in multiple states.
Posted in CDC, Death, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak
Since June 2017, a persistent cross-border outbreak of Salmonella Virchow ST16 has been ongoing in five European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). A total of 210 cases have been reported from the following countries: Denmark (2), France (111), Germany (26), Ireland (4), the Netherlands (34), the UK (32), and the US (1). Among the interviewed cases (55), hospitalisation rates ranged from 16.7% (2/12) in the UK, to 29.4% (5/17) and 38.5% (10/26) in France and Germany, respectively. No deaths have been reported. A majority of cases have been linked to local restaurants serving kebab meat. The number of confirmed cases represents only a small proportion of all infections in the EU/EEA, partly due to the varying sequencing capacities of countries.
The comparison of the representative outbreak strains with the available genome profiles of S. Virchow ST16 from non-human isolates, revealed that most of the matching isolates belonged to broiler meat and broiler-related environments, thereby supporting the hypothesis of chicken meat as a vehicle of infections.
The available information from case interviews, traceback investigations, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) cluster analysis, showed that kebab meat products containing contaminated chicken meat are the likely vehicles of infections, and that the clone has been circulating in the EU poultry meat production chain at least in France, Germany, and the Netherlands. In the absence of batch numbers of the contaminated kebab products and related Salmonella testing information, the source(s) of the infections could not be established.
New infections are likely to occur in the EU/EEA affecting any age group, until further investigations are performed to identify the source(s) and point(s) of contamination along the chicken meat production chain, including the primary production upstream lines. This will allow appropriate control measures to be implemented.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, WGS
A decade after his indictment and a year after United States Magistrate Judge Thomas Q. Langstaff denied his petition for early release, one-time peanut butter mogul Stewart Parnell still has one more card to play.
Parnell, 68, has 15 years to run on his sentence imposed after a 2014 jury conviction for numerous federal felonies associated with the deadly 2008-09 multistate Salmonella outbreak traced to his Peanut Corporation of America peanut processing facility in Blakely, GA. He is serving his time at the federal correctional facility at Hazelton, WV.
Parnell begins this year with a new appeal of his Habeas corpus petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th U.S. Circuit in Atlanta. A Habeas petition claims unlawful detention or imprisonment because of constitutional infractions. It can open cell doors,
Posted in Death, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter
FoodWorld 