An E. coli outbreak that has sickened six people in four counties may be linked to a restaurant chain, according to news reports. The Health Department reportedly said that those six patients live in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somersest, and Warren counties. There is no information about this potential E. coli outbreak on any of the New Jersey government websites.
RASFF-Salmonella enterica ser. anatum (presence /25g) in poultry meal from Spain in Italy
RASFF-Salmonella enterica ser. anatum (presence /25g) and Salmonella enterica ser. Liverpool (presence /25g) and too high count of Enterobacteriaceae (15; 55; 100; 140; 230 CFU/g) in lamb meal from the United Kingdom
The aim of this study was to improve shelf life of ground chicken meat in chilled storage by employing active packaging incorporating seed cover extract (SCE) of Zanthoxylum rhetsa. The total phenolic and flavonoid content in SCE was estimated to be 194 and 44.5 mg/g, respectively, in terms of catechin equivalents. SCE scavenged free radicals, exhibited good reducing power, and high antioxidant activity coefficient. SCE was effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The major phenolics compounds identified in SCE were catechin, vanillin, gallic acid, and ferulic acid. SCE was incorporated to get active films of Gum Arabic, polyvinyl alcohol, and sorbitol. Films had good mechanical and barrier properties. Ground chicken meat packed in normal films spoiled in less than 6 days whereas active packaging led to reduction in lipid peroxidation and improvement in shelf life up to 12 days at chilled condition.
Globally, tonnes of food get wasted annually at retail and consumer level due to lack of proper packaging and storage facilities. Meat is a highly perishable commodity and various strategies are used to preserve it for long time. Packaging and freezing are two important techniques used for this purpose. Freezing is energy intensive and conventional packaging using petroleum‐based polymers leads to burden on environment. Active packaging with the use of biodegradable polymers and natural preservatives is an emerging area of research in food industry. Zanthoxylum rhetsa is low cost spice and is rich in bioactive compounds. This can be used as the active component in biodegradable films that can extend the shelf life of the meat packed in it at chilled temperatures. Thus the burden on energy as well as petroleum resources can be minimized.
The CDC is examining trends of foodborne illness outbreaks for 2017 and describes changes in incidence since 2006 in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for March 23, 2018. Foodborne illness is a substantial health burden in the Untied States. In 2017, there were 24,484 infections, 5,677 hospitalizations, and 122 deaths attributed to food borne illness.
Despite ongoing food safety measures in the United States, foodborne illness continues to be a substantial health burden. The 10 U.S. sites of the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet)* monitor cases of laboratory-diagnosed infections caused by nine pathogens transmitted commonly through food. This report summarizes preliminary 2017 data and describes changes in incidence since 2006. In 2017, FoodNet reported 24,484 infections, 5,677 hospitalizations, and 122 deaths. Compared with 2014–2016, the 2017 incidence of infections with Campylobacter, Listeria, non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Yersinia, Vibrio, and Cyclospora increased. The increased incidences of pathogens for which testing was previously limited might have resulted from the increased use and sensitivity of culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs), which can improve incidence estimates (1). Compared with 2006–2008, the 2017 incidence of infections with Salmonella serotypes Typhimurium and Heidelberg decreased, and the incidence of serotypes Javiana, Infantis, and Thompson increased. New regulatory requirements that include enhanced testing of poultry products for Salmonella† might have contributed to the decreases. The incidence of STEC O157 infections during 2017 also decreased compared with 2006–2008, which parallels reductions in isolations from ground beef.§ The declines in two Salmonella serotypes and STEC O157 infections provide supportive evidence that targeted control measures are effective. The marked increases in infections caused by some Salmonella serotypes provide an opportunity to investigate food and nonfood sources of infection and to design specific interventions.
RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (130 CFU/g) in soft cheese from France in Norway
The producer of Darwin’s brand raw pet foods knew about Salmonella in its plant, fielded more than 300 consumer complaints about sick or dead pets, and racked up a laundry list of food safety violations in 2017, according to government inspectors.
Investigators from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) identified numerous problems at Arrow Reliance Inc., doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. They undertook the December 2017 inspection in response to an ongoing pattern of product recalls and a consumer complaint received in October 2017.
Posted in E.coli, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Pet Food, Salmonella, Uncategorized
RASFF-high count of Escherichia coli (>1500000 CFU/g) in raw milk cheese from France in France
RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (O174: H21 /25g) in chilled beef from Argentina in Germany
Posted in E.coli, O174, RASFF, STEC, Uncategorized
A major study led by Cornell researchers reveals for the first time that water troughs on farms are a conduit for the spread of toxic E. coli in cattle, which can then spread the pathogen to people through bacteria in feces. The study was published Feb. 7 in the journal PLOS ONE.
“Water troughs appeared in our mathematical model as a place where water can get contaminated and a potential place where we could break the cycle,” said Renata Ivanek, associate professor of epidemiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the paper’s senior author. The hypothesis was then tested in the field – with surprising results.
People commonly acquire infections from shiga toxin-producing E. coli through cow feces-contaminated beef and salad greens. The main shiga toxin-producing strain, E. coli 0157:H7, causes more than 63,000 illnesses per year and about 20 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Though cows carry and spread E. coli 0157:H7 when they defecate, the bacteria do not make them sick.
Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Safety, Research, Uncategorized
FoodWorld 