RASFF – Bacillus cereus (2100 CFU/g) and Enterococcus (11000 CFU/g) in ground coconut from Indonesia, via Malaysia in Italy
RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in vacuum packed frozen smoked salmon trimmings from Lithuania, via Germany in Italy
RASFF – Norovirus (present /25g) in frozen strawberries from China in Denmark
RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence in 3 samples) in chilled boneless beef (Bos taurus) from Brazil in the Netherlands
Posted in Bacillus, Bacillus cereus, Bacteria, E.coli
The E. coli O121 outbreak linked to Farm Rich brand frozen food products has grown again to include 35 people in 19 states. Nine people have been hospitalized in this outbreak, and no deaths have been reported. Two patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The outbreak has grown from 32 people since the last update in late April.
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O121, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen
Tagged e coli, frozen food products, hemolytic uremic syndrome, science
Health investigators in Texas’ Brazos County are looking into eight possible infections of E. coli O157:H7 they suspect may be linked to food.
The Brazos County Health Department has confirmed five of the illnesses, and investigators believe another three patients are infected with the same strain of bacteria.
Two related children under the age of five have been hospitalized at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston for the past week, The Eagle reports. The other six cases are adults and were not hospitalized.
Investigators are still searching for a possible outbreak source, saying that the patients did not eat at the same restaurant.
RASFF – High count of Escherichia coli (1500 000 CFU/g) in raw milk cheese from France
RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (0 26 H 11, STEC or VTEC) in minced beef meat from Italy in France
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, STEC, VTECH
Tagged escherichia coli, food, raw milk cheese
Ground turkey from birds raised without antibiotics is less likely to be contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria than conventional ground turkey, according to a new study published by Consumer Reports today.
The group tested 257 samples of raw ground turkey meat and patties, purchased from major retailers nationwide, for Enterococcus, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Campylobacter and then looked at what portion of these bacteria were resistant to antibiotics. They found high levels of bacteria overall – 90 percent of samples tested positive for one of the five – and more than half were resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics. But the bugs found in products labeled “no antibiotics,” “organic,” or “raised without antibiotics” were resistant to fewer antibiotics than their conventional counterparts.
Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, Enterococcus, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus
Tagged classes of antibiotics, food safety news, health, staphylococcus aureus
When electron beam technology is used to process food, it is called food irradiation. Food Irradiation, like pasteurization, can prevent countless infections because it destroys the pathogens than cause the illness.
Food borne illness is one of the most common preventable public health problems in the world today. Several measures can be taken in processing plants to help mitigate the problems, but none have the potential to be more effective than irradiation processing. Common pathogens such as e.coli and salmonella are easily destroyed when irradiated.
Today, 38 countries, including the United States, have approved the use of irradiation processing for a wide variety of food items. Test market studies have shown that the general public accepts irradiated items and actually prefers them over non-irradiated items when educational materials are available at point of purchase.
Media scrutiny about e.coli outbreaks and salmonella poisonings are becoming a common occurrence. People are becoming more aware of these very real concerns. In time, the general public will readily accept this valuable technology. With all the endorsements and proof that irradiated foods are 100% safe to consume, how could they not?
In today’s world, we have the proven technology that is capable of eliminating common food borne diseases.
These diseases cause sickness and death to countless numbers of people the world over.
Five more victims in four states were added Friday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to the list of confirmed cases in the rare Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 outbreak associated with Farm Rich brand products.
The additional victims—one each in California, Colorado, and Ohio and two in Florida—bring the total number of individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E coli O121 (STEC O121) to 32.
CDC says 35 percent of the victims have required hospitalization and two developed the kidney-damaging hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths have been reported among the mostly young (81 percent are age 21 or under) victims.
Posted in CDC, E.coli, E.coli O121, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen
Tagged environment, food safety news
Health officials in Wisconsin suspect three patients sickened by the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 contracted their illnesses after consuming raw milk, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Raechelle Cline told Food Safety News Thursday.
All three patients reside in Manitowoc County, and they include a three year-old child and his or her mother. Officials are currently testing samples of milk from the suspected dairy and will not identify it unless they prove a connection.
“Raw milk was the most likely commonality we’ve been able to identify,” Cline said. The illnesses occurred in March, and the officials are unaware of any additional cases.
Health institutions such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise against drinking raw milk, as it has not been pasteurized to eliminate potentially harmful pathogens.
RASFF – Foelie from Indonesia infested with moulds in the Netherlands
RASFF – High count of Escherichia coli (between 130 and 980 CFU/g) in fresh peppermint from Cambodia in Norway
RASFF – Hepatitis A virus (ongoing investigations) in mussels (Mitylus galloprovincialis) from Slovenia in Italy
RASFF – Norovirus (presence) in clams from Portugal in Spain
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 5.5 µg/kg – ppb) in satay sauce from Sweden
Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Clams, E.coli, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hand Washing, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall
Tagged food, medicine, transportation
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