Category Archives: Eurofins Laboratories

Canadian CIFA Recall – E.coli O157 – Ground Beef

Posted on February 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and New Middleast Supermarket, 1755 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON are warning the public not to consume the finely ground beef described below because the product may be contaminated with E. coliO157:H7.

The affected ground beef is a finely ground raw beef known to be used for Kebbeh. This product was sold on December 28 and 29, 2011from the New Middleast Supermarket, 1755 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON. This product was likely served from the fresh meat counter in plastic bags wrapped with paper. The packages may not bear a label identifying store name and other information. Consumers are advised to contact the retailer if you are unsure as to whether you have the affected beef product stored in your home freezer.

There has been one confirmed illness associated with the consumption of this product.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Recall

Turkish Cheese – Listeria monocytogenes Study

Posted on February 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

In this study, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were investigated in a total of 200 traditional food samples sold in the province of Balikesir in Turkey. L. monocytogenes was detected in 5% of Mihalic cheese samples and 3% of Hosmerim dessert samples. Salmonella spp. was not detected in any of foods. The high prevalence and contamination levels of S. aureus were found in Mihalic cheese (100% and mean 2.69 log CFU/g) and Hosmerim dessert (64% and mean 2 log CFU/g) samples. E. coli was not found in Hosmerim dessert samples while the prevalence and contamination level of E. coli in Mihalic cheese samples were 43% (mean 1.23 log CFU/g). The isolation of L. monocytogenes and other foodborne pathogens from Mihalic cheese and Hosmerim dessert samples indicates that these foods could create serious risk to the public health.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus

Electron-Beam Irradiation – Virus – Produce Control

Posted on February 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Physorg.com

A recent study quantifying how electron-beam irradiation reduces the risk from foodborne viruses in lettuce and spinach was published in the February issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Credit: National Center for Electron Beam Research, Texas A&M University.

The study quantified the theoretical health-risk reduction from virus-related foodborne illness through the use of electron-beam irradiation.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Virus, Microbiology

HPA Launches a New Website for UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (SMI)

Posted on February 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Dear User of UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations

 I am very pleased to tell you that the new website holding UK Standard for Microbiology Investigations is now available at http://www.hpa.org.uk/SMI.  The current website with which you are familiar at  http://www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk/ will continue to be available until 23 March 2012 whilst we complete the transfer of the bacteriology SMIs.

 Changes to the design and information architecture of the SMI web pages aim to improve accessibility and allow the content to be speedily updated by staff in the Standards Unit. There is no requirement for a password and all the documents can be easily downloaded in PDF without restriction. It is anticipated that laboratories will convert the PDF format to word format when required.  An RSS feed for the web pages is in development.

 The SMIs on the new website continue to be listed by discipline and we hope the new format will make it easier for you to find the document of your choice along with comments from consultation. Once all the bacteriology documents are completed  we will decommission the old website and start to present the documents under syndromes, as well as by discipline. You will also note that the documents are presented in a newly designed template which distinguishes them as microbiology standards rather than laboratory SOPs and gives a more professional look to the publications.

 The new web pages on which the SMI documents are displayed are part of the HPA website.  An alternative route to the SMI webpages is as follows: 

·         www.hpa.org.uk <http://www.hpa.org.uk/>  > Products & Services <http://www.hpa.org.uk/ProductsServices/>  > Infectious Diseases <http://www.hpa.org.uk/ProductsServices/InfectiousDiseases/> > Quality Assurance <http://www.hpa.org.uk/ProductsServices/InfectiousDiseases/QualityAssurance/>  >UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations Home <http://www.hpa.org.uk/ProductsServices/InfectiousDiseases/QualityAssurance/UKStandardsForMicrobiologyInvestigations/> .

 SMIs are primarily intended as a general resource for practicing professionals in microbiology laboratory in the UK and assist with the laboratory diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. In addition, this new online resource aims also to provide support to clinical  microbiologists and commissioners of microbiology services.

I hope you find the new website a useful resource.

Valerie Bevan PhD MA MSc CSci FIBMS MIHM
Head of Department for Standards and Quality
Lead for Equality and Diversity for Microbiology Services
HPA Microbiology Services
Health Protection Agency
61 Colindale Avenue
London NW9 5EQ
Tel: 0208 327 6037

 

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Technology, Food Testing, HPA, Microbiology

US – Legionella Outbreak

Posted on February 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment
ALBANY — Six cases of Legionnaire’s disease have been linked to the Best Western Sovereign Hotel

Tests confirmed Monday that higher than normal levels of Legionnella bacteria were present in the hotel’s water system.
 
Again although this is not a food manufacturing site it does demonstrate the need for Legionella risk assessment and controls in your food manufacturing sites.

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

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“Cruise Ship” Virus Strikes Again

Posted on February 6, 2012 by | 1 comment

THE first of two Princess Cruise Lines ships sailing with scores of passengers suffering from the fast-spreading norovirus have returned to Fort Lauderdale, US.

More than 150 passengers and crew members on board the Crown Princess were infected with the gastrointestinal illness during its seven-day cruise to the southern Caribbean, WFOR-TV reported.

After the ship’s arrival in Fort Lauderdale early Saturday, staff began the arduous task of cleaning the vessel from top to bottom in an attempt to rid it of the virus, which easily spreads through person-to-person contact.

Meanwhile, the Ruby Princess is due to arrive back in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, with nearly 100 passengers and crew sick with the virus.

Ahead of the liners’ next departures, the cruise company sent out an “emergency notification” to passengers alerting them that their trips will be delayed due to the norovirus outbreak.

Courier Mail

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak

Non – O157 Shiga Toxin Producing E.coli in Vension

Posted on February 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC Report

We investigated an outbreak of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli at a high school in Minnesota, USA, in November 2010. Consuming undercooked venison and not washing hands after handling raw venison were associated with illness. E. coli O103:H2 and non-Shiga toxin–producing E. coli O145:NM were isolated from ill students and venison.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Recall

Canadian – Salmonella – Dry Sausage Recall

Posted on February 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Livno Meats are warning the public not to consume the Dry Sausage described below because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The affected product, Livno Meats Dry Sausage, was sold only from the Livno Meats retail store in Hornby, Ontario. It was sold in two formats as follows:

  1. Approximately 200 g vacuum package with a label bearing code “BATCH # 4, PACKED ON DE/11/28”
  2. Packaged in a plastic bag per customer order and sold during the period December 28, 2011 to January 21, 2012, inclusive.

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

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Posted in CIFA, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Microbiology, Recall, Salmonella

Canadian – Listeria monocytogenes- Smoked Trout Recall

Posted on February 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Milford Bay Trout Farm Inc. are warning the public not to consume the Smoked Trout Fillet described below because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The affected product, Milford Bay Trout Farm Inc. Smoked Trout Filet, is sold refrigerated in variable weight vacuum packages, bearing Best Before dates February 9, 2012 and February 10, 2012 and lot code 30644-1. There is no UPC on the package. This product has been distributed in Ontario.

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

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Recall

HPS -Scotland E.coli Report 2011

Posted on February 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPS Report

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) said it had recorded 253 positive cases of E.coli during 2011, up from 212 the previous year.

The agency blamed the increase on a UK-wide outbreak believed to have originated from contaminated vegetables. The outbreak, between December 2010 and July 2011, saw 250 cases of E.coli infection throughout England, Wales and Scotland and 74 victims treated in hospital.

The agency blamed the increase on a UK-wide outbreak believed to have originated from contaminated vegetables. The outbreak, between December 2010 and July 2011, saw 250 cases of E. coli infection throughout England, Wales and Scotland and 74 victims treated in hospital.

However, the HPS report also noted that the apparent spike in E. coli between 2010 and 2011 was partly due to the unusually low rate of E. coli infection in 2010.

The report also noted decreases in salmonella and campylobacter.
In 2011, HPS received reports of 736 cases of salmonella infection – a decrease of almost 22% on the 941 reported in 2010.

Cases of campylobacter were also down 3.6% to 6366 last year, although the figure remains “one of the highest on record.”

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Posted in Campylobacter, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, HPA, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Recall, Salmonella