Science Daily has reported on a study that seems to have evidence that indicates that water discharged into lakes and rivers from municipal sewage treatment plants may contain significant concentrations of the genes that make bacteria antibiotic-resistant. That’s the conclusion of a new study on a sewage treatment plant on Lake Superior in the Duluth, Minn., harbor that appears in ACS’ journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Testing, Microbiology
New figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) have revealed that over 90% of outbreaks of Campylobacter infection at catering venues in 2011 were linked to chicken liver pâté consumption. In light of this, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has again reminded caterers to cook poultry livers thoroughly to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
The Food Standards Agency has teamed up with Channel 4 to sponsor its Christmas recipe web pages over the holiday season. This allows the Agency to highlight its Christmas food hygiene and safety messages to a wider audience as they plan their Christmas menus.
Food Quality News has reported on Ireland now recalling Gaudiano products in Botulinum related recall. The initial recall was over a month ago on an Olive product but this has now been extended to other products under this label. No illness cases have been reported in Ireland.
Antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, are used in human and veterinary medicine to treat a wide variety of infectious diseases. Bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobials are an increasingly serious health problem. When antimicrobial resistance occurs in zoonotic bacteria present in animals and food it can compromise the effective treatment of infectious diseases in humans and in animals. The fact sheet provides information on this public health threat and on EFSA’s role in the joint EU actions to combat antimicrobial resistance.
An article in Huff Post has reported on research by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) that claims feeding cattle citrus fruit peelings can drastically reduce the levels of pathogenic E.coli and Salmonella in the intestinal tract of the cattle. This is turn could lead to lower transmission rates of these organisms during slaughter and preparation.
The Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland has today launched its first stage of the Agency’s campaign to remind people to wash raw vegetables to help minimise the risk of food poisoning. The focus of the campaign is to reinforce existing food safety advice about storage, handling and cooking of food, including raw vegetables.
The campaign is in response to recent E.coli outbreaks in Britain and abroad including one linked to soil on raw vegetables and another caused by contaminated sprouted seeds.
Golden Glen Creamery of Bow, WA is voluntarily recalling Butter produced on November 2, 2011 because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
To date, no illnesses have been reported.
The Butters are being voluntarily recalled by Golden Glen Creamery, as a result of a surveillance sample collected and analyzed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture that was found to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the company continues their investigation as to what caused the problem.
Front Row Produce of St. Louis MO is recalling its 10oz pint and 10lb bulk grape tomatoes supplied by Rio Queen Citrus, Mission TX, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.
The contamination was noted after random testing by Rio Queen Citrus, Mission TX, revealed the presence of Salmonella in some 20lb bulk containers.
Production of the product has been suspended while FDA and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem.
An article in MeatInfo has reported on the incidence of Campylobacter in Chicken Liver Pate which is a popular Christmas product.
According to figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), there have been a total of 18 outbreaks of Campylobacter infection in the UK this year, with more than 443 people taken ill. Fourteen of these outbreaks occurred in catering venues and 13 of these were linked to chicken or duck liver pâté.
The FSAhave also released information reminding people to cook home-made Chicken Liver Pate thoroughly.
Poultry livers carry a high risk of Campylobacter. The bacteria can be present throughout the liver, not just on the surface as is the case for poultry meat, and may remain a source of infection if they are not cooked sufficiently.
FoodWorld 