Category Archives: Eurofins Laboratories

Medical Fitness Test for Food Handlers in India

Posted on March 6, 2012 by | 1 comment

Food Navigator Asia

The sick and unfit will have to pass medical tests under a new order passed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). This is interesting but I am not convinced that a yearly check would have any massive effect on Food Safety.

The order asks manufacturers to ensure that these food-handlers, regardless of the safety precautions they take at work, undergo a mandatory medical examination for ratifying their physical fitness in order to pursue their trade.

On clearing the medical fitness test with a registered medical practitioner, the food handler gains a medical fitness certificate from the practitioner, as well as the local representative of the FSSAI.

Form Issued

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen

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Sundried Tomato’s – Hep A Virus UK

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Production Daily

Contamination during sun-dried tomato processing is a possible “root cause” of an outbreak of hepatitis A in the UK, according to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).

BBC

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Standards Agency, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

India – 150 Food Poisoining at Wedding Feast

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

IBN Live

More than 150 people fell ill due to food poisoning after consuming meals at a marriage function in Taufapur village of the district, police said today. The incident took place last night when more than 300 people ate food at the marriage party .

District health officials visited the site and food samples were sent for the testing.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Japanese Food Poisoning Statistics – Higher than Government Statistics

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Mainichi Daily News

The actual number of bacteria-related foodborne illness incidents in Japan could be hundreds of times more than what official government statistics show, a recent report indicates.

The report, compiled by a Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare study group comprised of researchers, estimates that the actual number of bacteria-related food poisoning incidents between 2005 and 2009 ranged from 36 to 715 times more than those described in official government statistics.

The study group estimates that in 2006, for example, there were a total of 1,641,396 “Campylobacter” bacteria-related food poisoning incidents — some 715 times more than the 2,297 cases reported by the health ministry for the same year. Furthermore, in all studied time periods, the actual cases of food poisoning related to the same bacteria type — which is usually found in raw meat — are estimated at over 400 times more than those described in official governmental statistics.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Pakistan – 50 Nurses Hospitalised – Food Poisoning

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The News

As many as 47 student nurses and eight staff nurses have been hospitalised with acute food poisoning at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital during last 24 hours reportedly after eating food at the nursing hostel.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Risk Factors for Mortality in non-Pregnancy-Related Listeriosis

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Cambridge Journals

We examined non-pregnancy-related listeriosis cases in England and Wales reported to the Health Protection Agency between 1990 and 2009 (n=1864) using unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors independently associated with mortality. A subset analysis of cases between 2005 and 2009 (n=694) investigated the additional effect of antibiotic therapy on survival. In these cases particular malignancies, alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, increasing age, and treatment to reduce gastric acid secretion were positively associated with mortality. The absence of a concurrent condition and presence of autoimmune disease had a protective effect. The subset analysis identified illness in winter or spring as a risk factor and antibiotic therapy as a protective factor for mortality. The impact of antibiotic therapy, seasonality and reduced gastric acid status on survival should be further investigated. Policy-makers and clinicians need to more broadly advise those at risk of contracting this disease and dying as a consequence.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen

Canada – Further Charcuterie La Tour Eiffel – Recalled

Posted on March 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

On February 22, 2012 Charcuterie La Tour Eiffel recalled Parisian Cooked Ham because it may have been contaminated with what the recall said were “dangerous bacteria or parasites.”

Another recall was issued Wednesday for more products from the same company. This time, the recall was issued because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium perfingens. This bacteria can cause serious illness. The products were supplied to retailers, hotels, restaurants, and institutions in Quebec.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium perfringens, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Parasite, Pathogen, Recall

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Laboratory Detection of ‘Toxic’ E.coli Increases

Posted on March 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Enhanced laboratory detection of non-O157:H7 types of E. coli from stool samples of the sick is causing a surge in positive findings for toxic E. coli that is exponentially larger than the number of labs adopting the enhanced methods, a study by a Washington State Department of Health has found.

Washington State disease trackers looked at laboratories in Washington and examined the rate of non-O157 E. coli detection as more and more labs developed the tools to test for varied STECs. According to a summary of the research published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of laboratories in Washington State that tested for varied STECs increased from 2 (4 percent) in 2005 to 19 (33 percent) in 2010.

Four serogroups accounted for more than 80 percent of non-O157 STEC case findings. They were E. coli O26, E. coli O103, E. coli O121 and E. coli O111.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O104, E.coli O157, E.coli O26, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen

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FSA – B&M Sausages Recall -Harmful Bacteria

Posted on March 3, 2012 by | 1 comment

FSA

B&M Sausages in Scotland is withdrawing a variety of meat products, produced up to and including 1 March 2012. Food contact surfaces were inadequately disinfected, resulting in possible contamination of the products with harmful bacteria. The Agency has issued a Product Withdrawal Information Notice.

The products being recalled are:

  • Wiejka Sausage
  • Szynka
  • Poledwica
  • Boczek Rdowany
  • Zwyczajna
  • Firmova
  • Szynkowa
  • Kabanos
  • Schab Rolonkiny
  • Krakowska
  • Biala
  • Przysmak Swietokrzyski
  • Parowkova
  • Pasztetowa
  • Frankfurterki
  • Salceson
  • Zeberka Wedzone
  • Boczek
  • Kaszanka
  • Blgosowka
  • Rolada
  • Pieczen
  • Karczek Pieczony
  • Boczek Pieczony

B&M is withdrawing all the affected products from the four delicatessens it supplies and customer notices will be displayed in stores, explaining why the products have been withdrawn.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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CIFA – Canada – Beef Frankfurters- Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Glatt’s Kosher Meat Products are warning the public not to consume the Glatt’s brand Beef Frankfurters Jumbo BBQ described below because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The affected product, Glatt’s brand Beef Frankfurters Jumbo BBQ, is sold in 375 g packages bearing UPC 0 55627 00203 6 and a Best Before date of 12AL21.

This product has been distributed in Ontario and Quebec.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall