Category Archives: E.coli

USA – Winnebago County Illinois Health Department monitoring STEC E. coli Mystery

Food Poison Journal

The Winnebago County Illinois Health Department has confirmed three cases of Shiga toxin‐producing E. coli (STEC) in the county.

The patients experienced diarrhea beginning May 31. The cause of the illness has not yet been determined, the department announced Friday evening.

The following are symptoms of E. coli and may be seen with or without a fever: abdominal cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Residents are urged to contact a health care provider if they experienced symptoms on or after May 21.

USA – Kroger recalls certain beef products in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana due to E. coli

Food Poisoning Journal

Kroger is recalling certain beef products from some of its stores due to potential E. coli contamination. The products included bone-in ribeye steaks, boneless ribeye steaks and in-store produced ground beef. The items will have the following labels:

Customers who purchased these items from April 23 through June 7 should not eat the product. Kroger says the affected stores are in the Cincinnati area, northern Kentucky, Dayton, Ohio, and southeastern Indiana.

Kroger says there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the products at this time.

Research – The effect of silver nanocomposite packaging based on melt mixing and sol–gel methods on shelf life extension of fresh chicken stored at 4 °C

Wiley Online

Abstract

In the present study, seven types of films were produced using different proportions of polyethylene containing silver, clay, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Following the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration of the films in the eradication of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the film containing 5% silver nanoparticles and 5% titanium dioxide nanoparticles was found to have the highest antimicrobial property and was determined to be an ideal cover for food products. The antibacterial effect of the films on the shelf life extension and quality of the chicken stored at 4 °C in the Days 1, 3, and 5 of the experiment was checked. The structure and morphology of the nanoparticles and the selected films were evaluated using a field emission scanning electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The analysis of the results indicated that the most appropriate inhibition growth was observed with S. aureus and E. coli in nutrient agar and the largest diameter of the radial inhibition zone occurred with S. aureus. Moreover, the analysis of variance showed that the effect of different concentrations of silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles was significant (p < .05). The results of this study showed that the produced nanocomposite was used to preserve chicken meat for 5 days at 4 °C inhibited the growth of both types of bacteria.

Practical applications

Nowadays production of active packaging is increasing worldwide as they were proved to have numerous effects on inhibiting of microbial growth and even bactericidal effects. Therefore, a wide variety of food producers in different sections namely agriculture, dairy, and meat industries have applied nanopackaging using different nanoparticles. Thus, more research on different physicochemical and antimicrobial effects are needed.

RASFF Alerts -E.coli – Live Venus Clams – Betel Leaves – Herbal Infusion

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RASFF – too high count of Escherichia coli (330; 230; 130; 700; 490 MPN/100g) in live venus clams (Chamelea gallina) from Italy in Spain

RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in betel leaves from Malaysia in the UK

RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli (8.2 x 10*3 CFU/g) in betel leaves from Malaysia in the UK

RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli (9 x 10*3 CFU/g) in betel leaves from Malaysia in the UK

RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli in herbal infusion from Italy, produced in Spain, with raw material from Germany in Italy

RASFF Alert – STEC E.coli – Frozen Beef

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RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx1+; stx2-; eae+ /25g) in frozen beef from Brazil in Italy

Hong Kong – A kind of chilled raw beef product from US suspected to be contaminated with E. coli (O157:H7)

CFS

Source of Information Centre for Food Safety
Food Product Chilled raw beef product
Product Name and Description Product name: US ANGUS PRIME BEEF RIBEYE

Place of origin: US

Packer: Aurora Packing Company, Inc.

Importer: Yata Limited

Use-by-dates: May 7 to 13, 2019

Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The Centre for Food Safety (CFS), through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notice issued by the US authorities concerned that raw beef products might have been contaminated with E. coli (O157:H7) and are being recalled.
  • Preliminary investigation by the CFS found that the above-mentioned local importer was suspected to have imported the affected product into Hong Kong.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned.
  • Follow-up investigation confirmed that the importer had imported around 150 kilograms of the above affected product. All had been sold out at its outlets.
  • The importer has initiated a recall according to the CFS’ advice.
  • The CFS will continue to monitor the incident and take appropriate follow-up action.
Advice to the Trade
  • Stop selling the affected product.
Advice to Consumers
  • Members of the public should stop consuming the product concerned immediately if they have bought it.
  • People can contract E. coli through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods, resulting in gastro-intestinal diseases. Intestinal bleeding and serious complications such as hemolytic uraemic syndrome may also develop in some people.
  • Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer’s hotline at 2694 1111 during office hours.
Further Information The CFS press release

RASFF Alerts – E.coli – Chilled Venus Clams

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RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli (3.3 x 10E2 MPN/100g) in chilled venus clams (Chamelea gallina) from Italy in Spain

RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli (790; 780 MPN/100g) in chilled venus clams from Italy in Spain

RASFF Alert – STEC E.coli – Organic Baby Spinach

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RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx1+ stx2+ eae+) in organic baby spinach from Italy in Germany

USA – ADM Milling Expands Recall of Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour 5lb Bags Packaged for ALDI in Select States -E.coli

FDA

Company Announcement

ADM Milling Co. is recalling all five-pound bags of Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour packaged for ALDI in select markets because of the potential presence of E.coli, which was discovered during testing of a five-pound bag of Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

This E.colistrain found in the bag has been linked to 17 illness in eight states. The food source of the E.coli strain for all cases remains under investigation, but out of an abundance of caution, ADM is expanding its previous recall notice of only two specific lots to include all Baker’s Corner All Purpose
Flour five-pound bags currently in distribution that were manufactured for ALDI at ADM’s flour mill in
Buffalo, New York. The recall includes products distributed in select stores in 11 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia.

ADM Milling is working directly with ALDI, which has already recalled all potentially impacted products from store shelves in the region. ADM Milling is conducting an in-depth investigation to determine the cause of the contamination and is working closely with regulators throughout this process.

ADM reminds customers and consumers that flour is not ready-to-eat and must be thoroughly cooked before eating to prevent illness from possible bacteria in the flour. Do not eat or play with raw dough, and wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling. Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

If customers have product affected by this voluntary recall, they should discard it immediately or return it to their local ALDI store for a full refund. Please direct any customer inquiries for ADM Milling to 800-422-1688 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Central Time Monday through Friday.

USA – ALDI Bakers Corner Flour E. coli O26 Outbreak Sickens 17

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The ALDI Bakers Corner Flour E. coli O26 outbreak has sickened 17 people in 8 states, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Three of those patients have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The notice did not state whether or not any patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is a complication of this type of infection.

ALDI Bakers Corner Flour E. coli O26 Outbreak Sickens 17