Category Archives: E.coli O157:H7

Israel – “Boaron” brand Homemade Style Kebab/Rumanian Kebab/Restaurants Hamburger. – E.coli O157

RCL_13082020_2_EN

Israel Feldman Factory Ltd. and the Tsion Boaron Butchers Retailer are calling for the recall of the products: the “Boaron” brand Homemade Style Kebab/Rumanian Kebab/Restaurants Hamburger.
E-coli O157 bacteria was found in a test conducted by the Food Service at the Central District Health Office.

Research – SSEL, a selective enrichment broth for simultaneous growth of Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157: H7, and Listeria monocytogenes

Wiley Online

Salmonella entericaStaphylococcus aureusEscherichia coli O157: H7, and Listeria monocytogenes may contaminate similar types of food and cause foodborne disease. The objective of this study was to develop a selective enrichment broth for simultaneous enrichment of Salmonella entericaStaphylococcus aureusEscherichia coli O157: H7, and Listeria monocytogenes (SSEL) using nalidixic acid, acriflavine, lithium chloride, and sodium cholate as selective agents. Developed SSEL broth not only enriched the target pathogens to 5 log10 CFU/ml after 18 hr incubation at 37°C with 10–100 CFU/mL of inoculation concentration, but also could successfully support the simultaneous enrichment of target pathogens with similar growth rates and inhibit the growth of most nontarget bacteria effectively. The enrichment effect of SSEL was confirmed by artificial contamination test coupled with multiplex PCR. In summary, SSEL has been shown to be a promising multiplex selective enrichment broth for the detection of the four pathogens on a single‐assay platform.

Research -Evaluation of Public Health Risk for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Cilantro

Science Direct

This study sought to model the growth and die-off of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 along the cilantro supply chain from farm-to-fork to investigate its risk to public health. Contributing factors included in the model were on farm contamination from irrigation water and soil, solar radiation, harvesting, and transportation and storage times and temperatures. The developed risk model estimated the microbiological risks associated with E. coli O157:H7 in cilantro and determined parameters with the most effect on the final concentration per serving for future mitigation strategies. Results showed a similar decrease in the E. coli O157:H7 (median values) concentrations along the supply chain for cilantro grown in both winter and summer weather conditions. With an estimated 0.1% prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 contamination for cilantro post-harvest used for illustration, the model predicted the probability of illness from consuming fresh cilantro as very low with fewer than two illnesses per every one billion servings of cilantro (1.6 x 10-9; 95th percentile). Although rare, 3.7% and 1.6% of scenarios run in this model for summer and winter grown cilantro, respectively, result in over 10 cases per year in the United States. This is reflected in real life where illnesses from cilantro are seen rarely but outbreaks have occurred. Sensitivity analysis and scenario testing demonstrated that ensuring clean and high quality irrigation water and preventing temperature abuse during transportation from farm to retail, are key to reducing overall risk of illness.

Research – Growth and survival of foodborne pathogens during soaking and drying of almond (Prunus dulcis) kernels

JFP

The practice of soaking almonds prior to consumption is popular both commercially and at home. The food safety implications of soaking almonds was investigated through analysis of blogs and videos (n = 85 recipes) to identify both the reasons for soaking almonds and the common practices employed. Among the recipes analyzed, the most common reasons for soaking almonds (94.1%) were perceived benefits such as improved digestion and nutrient uptake. Most recipes (34.1%) suggested soaking at “room temperature” for times that ranged from 4 to 24 h or, more commonly, “overnight” (51.8%). Post-soaking drying instructions were provided in 40 recipes (47.1%). Among those providing a drying temperature (31.8%), 85% specified 66°C and lower. To evaluate the growth of foodborne pathogens during almond soaking, separate cocktails of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica were inoculated onto raw almonds or into the soak water (almonds-to-water ratios of 1:1 and 1:3 [w/v]). Populations were monitored during soaking at 15, 18, and 23°C for up to 24 h, and during post-soak drying at 66°C for 14 h (for Salmonella only). At 15°C and a 1:1 almond:water ratio, no significant population increase (P > 0.05) was observed between 0 and 24 h for any of the pathogens. At 18°C, increases of 0.63, 1.70, and 0.88 log CFU/sample were observed over 24 h for populations of E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella, respectively. Populations of E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella increased by 3.48, 3.22, and 3.94 log CFU/sample, respectively, after 24 h at 23°C. When soaked almonds were dried for 14 h at 66°C, moisture and water activity decreased from 40% to ~6% and 0.99 to 0.60, respectively, but no significant reduction in Salmonella populations was observed. Recommendations for using shorter times (<8 h) and cooler temperatures (≤15°C) should reduce the potential for foodborne pathogens, if present, to grow during soaking of almonds.

Research – Thermal Resistance of Foodborne Pathogens and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 on Inoculated Pistachios

JFP

ABSTRACT

Process control validations require knowledge of the resistance of the pathogen(s) of concern to the target treatment and, in some cases, the relative resistance of surrogate organisms. Selected strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (five strains), Listeria monocytogenes (five strains), and Salmonella enterica (five strains) as well as Salmonella Enteritidis phage type (PT) 30 and nonpathogenic Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 were inoculated separately (as individual strains) onto inshell pistachios. The thermal tolerance of each strain was compared via treatment of inoculated pistachios to hot oil (121°C) or hot water (80°C) for 1 min. Survivor curves in hot oil or hot water (0.5 to 6 min, n = 6 to 15) were determined for one or two of the most resistant strains of each pathogen, as well as E. faecium NRRL B-2354 and Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30, and the Weibull model was fit to the data. A pilot-scale air-impingement oven was used to compare the thermal tolerance of E. faecium NRRL B-2354 and Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 on pistachios with or without a brining pretreatment and at either dry (no steam) or 30% humidity (v/v) oven conditions. No significant difference in the time to a 4-log reduction in hot oil or hot water was predicted for any of the strains evaluated, on the basis of the 95% confidence interval. In the pilot-scale oven, E. faecium NRRL B-2354 was more thermally resistant than Salmonella in a broad set of differing treatments, treatment times, and temperatures. Salmonella is a suitable target pathogen of concern in pistachios for thermal processes because no other pathogen tested was more thermally resistant under the conditions evaluated. E. faecium NRRL B-2354 was at least as thermally resistant as Salmonella under all conditions evaluated, making it a good potential surrogate for Salmonella on pistachios.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 is a reasonable target strain for laboratory-based studies.
  • E. coli O157:H7 or L. monocytogenes were less thermally resistant than Salmonella.
  • E. faecium NRRL B-2354 was at least as thermally resistant or more so than Salmonella.
  • E. faecium NRRL B-2354 is a good potential thermal-treatment surrogate for pistachios.

Research – Fate of Salmonella enterica and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli on Vegetable Seeds Contaminated by Direct Contact with Artificially Inoculated Soil during Germination

JFP

ABSTRACT

Contaminated vegetable seeds have been identified as a potential source of foodborne bacterial pathogens. This study was undertaken to observe the behavior of Salmonella and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) on vegetable seeds, contaminated by direct contact with artificially inoculated soil, during germination. Sterile sandy soil inoculated with lyophilized cells of four individual strains of Salmonella or EHEC (three O157:H7 strains and one O104:H4 strain) was mixed with sanitized seeds (2 g) of alfalfa, fenugreek, lettuce, and tomato at 20°C for 1 h. The contaminated seeds were germinated on 1% water agar at 25°C for 9 days in the dark. Populations of Salmonella and EHEC on various tissues (seed coat, root, cotyledon, and stem, etc.) of sprouts and seedlings were determined every other day over the germination period. Overall, 70.4 and 72.4% of collected tissue samples (n = 544) tested positive for Salmonella and EHEC, respectively. In general, the mean populations of Salmonella and EHEC on sprout and seedling tissues increased with the prolongation of germination time. Seed coats had the highest bacterial counts (4.00 to 4.06 log CFU/0.01 g), followed by the root (3.36 to 3.38 log CFU/0.01 g), cotyledon (3.13 to 3.38 log CFU/0.01 g), and stem tissues (2.67 to 2.84 log CFU/0.01 g). On average, tissue sections of fenugreek sprouts and lettuce seedlings had significantly higher (P < 0.05) numbers of Salmonella and EHEC cells than that of alfalfa sprouts and tomato seedlings. Data suggest that the growth and dissemination of Salmonella and EHEC cells on alfalfa, fenugreek, lettuce, and tomato sprout and seedling tissues are influenced by the type of vegetable seeds and sprout and seedling tissues involved. The study provides useful information on the fate of two important foodborne bacterial pathogens on selected vegetable seeds, contaminated by direct contact with inoculated soil, during the germination process.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Vegetable seeds were contaminated via contact with pathogen-bearing sandy soil.
  • Pathogens on contaminated seeds were recovered from tissues of sprouts and seedlings.
  • Tomato and alfalfa tissues had lower pathogen counts than fenugreek and lettuce tissues.
  • Seed coats had higher pathogen counts than the root and cotyledon tissues.
  • Stem tissues had lower Salmonella/EHEC counts compared with all other tissues.

Canada – Food Recall Warning (E. coli O157:H7) – Certain sweetened dried cranberries

Food Poisoning News

Recall date:
June 19, 2020
Purpose for recall:
Microbiological – E. coli O157:H7
Hazard classification:
Class 1
Firm / Agency:
Les Aliments Johnvince
Distribution:
Quebec
Extent of the distribution:
Client

Recall particulars

Ottawa, June 19, 2020 – Les Aliments Johnvince is recalling sure sweetened dried cranberries from {the marketplace} as a consequence of potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Customers mustn’t eat the recalled product described under.

Recalled product

Model Product Dimension UPC Codes Extra data
None Sweetened dried cranberries
PLU 5176
Variable weights (plastic bag of roughly 300 g) None 06472
06481
0648
This packaged product might have been bought with or with out codes from Might 28, 2020 as much as and together with June 8, 2020. Customers who’re uncertain if they’ve bought the affected product are suggested to contact their retailer.

What it is best to do

When you suppose you turned sick from consuming a recalled product, name your physician.

Verify to see you probably have the recalled product in your house. Recalled merchandise needs to be thrown out or returned to the shop the place they have been bought.

Meals contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 might not look or odor spoiled however can nonetheless make you sick. Signs can embrace nausea, vomiting, gentle to extreme belly cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In extreme circumstances of sickness, some folks might have seizures or strokes, want blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or stay with everlasting kidney injury. In extreme circumstances of sickness, folks might die.

Background

This recall was triggered by the corporate. The Canadian Meals Inspection Company (CFIA) is conducting a meals security investigation, which can result in the recall of different merchandise. If different high-risk merchandise are recalled, the CFIA will notify the general public by way of up to date Meals Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that business is eradicating the recalled product from {the marketplace}.

Source link

Research – Prevalence of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli in Beef Cattle

PubMed

A large number of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains have caused major outbreaks and sporadic cases of human illnesses, including mild diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and the life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome. These illnesses have been traced to both O157 and non-O157 STEC. In a large number of STEC-associated outbreaks, the infections were attributed to consumption of ground beef or other beef products contaminated with cattle feces. Thus, beef cattle are considered reservoirs of STEC and can pose significant health risks to humans. The global nature of the human food supply suggests that safety concerns with beef will continue and the challenges facing the beef industry will increase at the production and processing levels. To be prepared to address these concerns and challenges, it is critical to assess the role of beef cattle in human STEC infections. In this review, published reports on STEC in beef cattle were evaluated to achieve the following specific objectives: (i) assess the prevalence of STEC in beef cattle, and (ii) determine the potential health risks of STEC strains from beef cattle. The latter objective is critically important because many beef STEC isolates are highly virulent. Global testing of beef cattle feces revealed wide ranges of prevalence rates for O157 STEC (i.e., 0.2 to 27.8%) and non-O157 STEC (i.e., 2.1 to 70.1%). Of the 261 STEC serotypes found in beef cattle, 44 cause hemolytic uremic syndrome and 37 cause other illnesses.

USA – David B’s Custom Meats recalls ground beef after E. coli illness and positive test – STEC E.coli

Food Poison Journal

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is issuing a public health alert due to an undetermined amount of ground beef product prepared under custom exemption that may be contaminated with Non-O157 Shiga toxin E. coli (STEC), a bacteria commonly known as “E. coli”. That product was prepared at a Type II Establishment (custom exempt), David B’s Custom Meats, located in Carlinville Illinois, in Macoupin County at the beginning of 2020 to current. Custom exempt meat products are not inspected and cannot be offered for sale; because of this, a recall of the affected product was not requested.

The problem was discovered when a resident of Macoupin County notified local public health officials about sickness after consuming ground beef. The sample collected from the remaining product tested positive for presence of NON-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E.coli.

USA – 43 Thousand Pounds of Hamburger recalled over E. coli O157

Food Poison Journal

Lakeside Refrigerated Services, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 42,922 pounds of 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 raw ground beef items were produced on June 1, 2020.