Category Archives: Food Hygiene

USA – Growers Express Issues Voluntary Recall of Multiple Fresh Vegetable Products Due to Potential Contamination of Listeria monocytogenes

FDA

Summary

Company Announcement Date:
June 30, 2019
FDA Publish Date:
July 01, 2019
Product Type:
Food & Beverages
Produce
Reason for Announcement:
Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name:
Growers Express
Brand Name:
Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, Signature Farms, Trader Joe’s
Product Description:
Butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini, and butternut squash based veggie bowl products

Company Announcement

Growers Express takes issues of food safety seriously and is issuing a voluntary recall of select fresh vegetable products in an abundance of caution and in the interest of protecting its customers and end consumers. The fresh vegetable products include packaged varieties of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and a butternut squashed based veggie bowl. Please refer to the detailed chart below for specific product names and retailers.

The products originate from a Growers Express production facility in Biddeford, Maine and were distributed to the states referenced in the chart below. The voluntary recall was issued due to the potential for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. There are no reported illnesses.

Listeria is an organism that 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 short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Most of the affected products are labeled with a “Best If Used By” Date of June 26 – June 29, 2019. No other Growers Express products are impacted or part of this recall. This recall does not affect or include any Green Giant® canned or frozen vegetable products.

“The safety of our consumers is our first priority,” said Tom Byrne, President of Growers Express. “We selfreported the need for this recall to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and stopped production immediately after being notified of a single positive sample by the Massachusetts Department of Health. We are deep sanitizing the entire facility and our line equipment, as well as conducting continued testing on top of our usual battery of sanitation and quality and safety tests before resuming production.”

Consumers who purchased any of the products listed below from the affected sell by dates or with an unreadable date code are urged not to consume them and to throw the products away.

Research – Consequences of Using Two Types of Skin Samples from Chilled Chicken Broiler Carcasses To Measure the Degree of Contamination by Campylobacter spp.

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

Because of concerns regarding the prevalence of Campylobacter in chicken meat, member countries in the European Union (EU) undertook a surveillance program to determine Campylobacter levels on chicken carcasses. A sample mass of 25 g principally composed of neck skin was used, although breast skin could also be used if there were insufficient neck skin to meet the required sample mass. The aim was to establish a baseline for Campylobacter contamination of carcasses against which future interventions could be assessed. However, in the United Kingdom researchers wanted to explore whether different ratios of neck to breast skin in samples could affect the results obtained. A comparison of the Campylobacter levels on neck and breast skin samples obtained from the same chilled chicken carcasses was undertaken at four chicken slaughterhouses. The neck skins were significantly more heavily contaminated (P < 0.05) with Campylobacter than was breast skin. Statistical analyses revealed no relationship that would allow a conversion between levels obtained on the two skin types. Ongoing surveillance of Campylobacter for 6 years was funded by United Kingdom poultry processors using samples consisting solely of neck skin, and the results of this surveillance (2011 to 2016) are reported here. Given the higher Campylobacter levels on a sample exclusively consisting of neck skin, this protocol could yield results with which the poultry industry would find it more difficult to achieve the contamination reduction target. The contamination reduction target for the United Kingdom (≤10% of chicken carcasses exceeding neck skin Campylobacter levels of 1,000 CFU/g) was not met by the end of 2015, the date stipulated by the United Kingdom government.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Campylobacter levels on chicken neck and breast skin were compared.

  • Neck skin was significantly more contaminated (P < 0.05) than breast skin.

  • No relationship between the two skin types was found for Campylobacter levels.

  • A UK government reduction target for highly contaminated chicken was not achieved.

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Uganda Potentially Linked to Whole, Fresh Papayas, June 2019

FDA

June 28, 2019

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of 62 Salmonella Uganda illnesses potentially linked to whole, fresh papayas imported from Mexico.  These illnesses have been reported in eight states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Florida, and Texas.

The FDA is increasing import screening for whole, fresh papayas and will continue to investigate the cause and source of the outbreak as well as the distribution of products. Preliminary analysis of product import records indicates that the whole, fresh papayas that made people sick in this outbreak were from Mexico. As this outbreak investigation continues, the FDA will work with our Mexican food safety regulatory counterparts to better define this outbreak. Additionally, the FDA will update this advisory as more information becomes available.

Recommendations

For Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers in Specific States:

CDC is advising that consumers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island not eat any whole, fresh papayas from Mexico, and should throw them away. Retailers, restaurants, and other food service providers in those states should not serve or sell whole, fresh papayas imported from Mexico, until more is known about this outbreak. Of the 62 illnesses, 60 have been reported in six states in the Northeast. One patient from Florida who was reported ill had traveled to Connecticut before becoming ill. Another patient from Texas was also reported ill, and at this time additional information about this patient is being collected. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

For Restaurants, Retailers, Importers, Suppliers, and Distributors in All States:

The FDA strongly advises importers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as restaurants, retailers, and other food service providers from all states to hold whole, fresh papayas imported from Mexico. This hold is intended to prevent or limit further distribution of potentially contaminated papayas that may already be in the supply chain until more information on the potential source of papayas linked to the outbreak becomes available. Any product that is held beyond expiration date should be discarded.

Research – Modeling for Survival of Clostridium perfringens in Saeng-sik, a Powdered Ready-to-Eat Food with Low Water Activity

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

Saeng-sik is a powdered ready-to-eat food with very low moisture that contains dried raw materials such as grains, fruits, mushrooms, and seaweeds. This product is consumed as a convenient and nutritious meal replacement. The objective of this study was to develop a mathematical model for predicting the survival of Clostridium perfringens vegetative cells and spores in saeng-sik as a function of temperature and to validate the model using saeng-sik samples with different microbial communities analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption–ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Kinetic data for C. perfringenssurvival in saeng-sik fit well to the Weibull model with high goodness of fit (R2 = 0.92 to 0.98). The obtained δ values (required time for first decimal reduction) for each temperature were 19.62 to 864.86 h, and concave curves (p < 1) were observed under all experimental conditions (5 to 40°C). Kinetic parameters were further described in a secondary model as a function of temperature using a Davey model (R2 = 0.99). The developed model was validated by the bias factor, accuracy factor, and root mean square error, and the values were within acceptable ranges for predictive models, even for saeng-sik samples with different microbial communities. When saeng-sik was rehydrated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, germination and outgrowth of C. perfringens was observed when the sample was subjected to unusual temperatures during storage, such as at 30°C for 15 h. C. perfringens spores survived in saeng-sik with very low water activity. Because C. perfringens could germinate and grow under such conditions, care must be taken to avoid initial contamination of C. perfringens during the manufacturing process. Our model developed with samples with different microbial communities provides useful information for next-generation microbiological risk assessment taking into consideration the ecology of the food-associated microbial community.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • We developed a mathematical model to predict the survival of C. perfringens in food.

  • C. perfringens vegetative cells and spores were inoculated into dried powder food.

  • The aw of saeng-sik was below 0.1.

  • Weibull and Davey models can successfully describe the survival of C. perfringens.

  • The developed model can be applied to samples with different microbial communities.

Research – Use of Cold Atmospheric Plasma To Preserve the Quality of White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

The enzymatic oxidation process that causes black spots on shrimp, named melanosis, leads to spoilage and economic losses. Therefore, there is an urgent need for strategies to reduce melanosis in the food industry. Cold plasma is an emerging nonthermal food processing technology. This work explores a novel application of cold plasma for the preservation of shrimp quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cold plasma on the quality attributes of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). The shrimp samples were divided in two groups: the control group and the plasma group. Samples were exposed to nonthermal plasma for 10 min at a frequency of 500 Hz. Microbiological assays, including total counts of mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, Staphylococcus spp., and Salmonella sp., were performed along with investigations of physicochemical parameters, such as pH, color, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, and shear force. In addition, sensory (quality index method) tests were conducted. The plasma group exhibited a shelf life of 14.07 days, while the control group exhibited a shelf life of 9.78 days. The experimental protocol used in this study was not enough to obtain significant reduction in the bacterial load. However, treatment with the cold plasma contributed to improving the physicochemical properties during storage.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Discharge of dielectric barriers significantly reduced microbial populations.

  • Treatments resulted in improvement in physical characteristics during storage.

  • Nonthermal plasma provided a 43% (4-day) increase in sample lifetime.

Research – Salmonellosis Outbreaks by Food Vehicle, Serotype, Season, and Geographical Location, United States, 1998 to 2015

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

Salmonella is a major cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Although salmonellosis outbreaks are relatively common, food vehicles and other characteristics are not well understood. We obtained data for salmonellosis outbreaks from 1998 to 2015 that were submitted by public health jurisdictions to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System. In total, 2,447 outbreaks (yearly average, 136) with a confirmed or suspected etiology of nontyphoidal Salmonella were identified. The outbreaks included 65,916 individual cases (mean, 27 cases per outbreak). Food vehicles were identified in 49% of the outbreaks. Frequently implicated foods included eggs (12.5%), chicken (12.4%), and pork (6.5%). Fifty-five (2.2%) outbreaks had fatalities; 87 (0.1%) individuals died. Of those outbreaks with a reported serotype, the most commonly identified were Enteritidis (29.1%), Typhimurium (12.6%), and Newport (7.6%). Serotypes with a statistically significant increase over time included Braenderup and I 4,[5],12:i:−. Some serotypes were commonly associated with outbreaks due to certain food vehicles; 81% of outbreaks due to eggs were associated with serotype Enteritidis. Food commodities that were most commonly associated with multistate outbreaks were nuts and seeds, sprouts, and fruits. Outbreaks occurred most frequently in summer. States with the highest number of salmonellosis outbreaks per 100,000 population were Alaska (0.137) and Minnesota (0.121); states with the lowest were Delaware (<0.001) and Wyoming (<0.001). The highest number of salmonellosis cases per 100,000 population were in Washington, DC (4.786) and Arkansas (3.857). Geographic variations in outbreaks may reflect differences in outbreak detection, investigation, reporting, or risk. In addition to collaboration, data-driven public health interventions are needed to decrease infection rates and to prevent complications related to salmonellosis.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Outbreaks due to S. enterica serotypes Braenderup and I 4,[5],12:i:− have increased.

  • Deaths were most often due to seeded vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fruits.

  • Multistate salmonellosis outbreaks were often due to nuts and seeds, sprouts, and fruits.

  • Alaska, Minnesota, and Hawaii had the highest number of outbreaks per 100,000 people.

  • Delaware and Wyoming had the lowest number of outbreaks per 100,000 people.

Research – Prevalence and Diversity of the Thermotolerant Bacterium Bacillus cytotoxicus among Dried Food Products

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

Bacillus cytotoxicus, a member of the Bacillus cereus group, is a thermotolerant species originally reported from a lethal foodborne infection in France in 1998. The strain NVH391-98, isolated from this outbreak, produces cytotoxin K1, a potential cytotoxic enterotoxin. However, the habitat and diversity of B. cytotoxicus isolates so far have been poorly explored. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of this bacterium in different food products (mainly dried) and to estimate its diversity. Among the 210 samples analyzed, all potato flakes contained the bacterium at low concentrations (≤102 CFU/g). However, prepared and kept at room temperature for 2 days, the puree contained ca. 105 CFU/g B. cytotoxicus. Besides potato flakes, some samples of millet flour, salted potato chips, and soups also contained B. cytotoxicus. From these samples, 55 thermotolerant B. cytotoxicus isolates were obtained. When classified into six distinct random amplified polymorphism DNA patterns, they showed the existence of 11 distinct plasmid profiles. Although most isolates (including the reference strains NVH391-98 and NVH883-00) contained no detectable plasmid, some displayed one to three plasmids with sizes from ca. 8 to 90 kb. It also emerged from this study that a single food sample could contain B. cytotoxicus isolates with different genetic profiles.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Bacillus cytotoxicus was found in all tested potato flakes but at loads lower than 102 CFU/g.

  • B. cytotoxicus was observed in other potato-containing products and in millet flour.

  • B. cytotoxicus isolates (n = 57) fell into six RAPD patterns and 11 plasmid profiles.

  • A large proportion of B. cytotoxicus isolates contained small and/or large plasmids.

USA – Occurrence of Foodborne Agents at Food Service Facilities in the Czech Republic

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of foodborne agents at food service facilities in the Czech Republic. The sampling, performed from April 2016 to November 2017, focused on the microbiological monitoring of the environment at the establishment (EFS; n = 298) and the hands of staff (HFS; n = 159). The analysis targeted the presence of the following bacteria: Escherichia coli (focusing on the presence of Shiga toxigenic E. coli), Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp. A swab method using sterile abrasive sponges was used to detect bacteria in EFS; a glove-juice method was used to monitor microbial contamination on HFS. The presence of E. coliwas confirmed in 11.8% of samples (12.4%, EFS; 10.7%, HFS; P = 0.650). The presence of Shiga toxigenic E. coli was not confirmed in the samples. B. cereus was detected most frequently, in 39.6% of all samples taken (44.6%, EFS; 30.2%, HFS; P= 0.003). S. aureus was detected in 17.9% of samples (17.4%, EFS; 18.9%, HFS; P = 0.703). Of S. aureus isolates, 58.5% were found to be positive for the presence of genes producing staphylococcal enterotoxins (70%, HFS; 52.0%, EFS). L. monocytogenes was detected in only one sample (0.2%; EFS). The presence of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. was not confirmed. The occurrence of B. cereus, S. aureus, and E. coli was dependent on the season of the year. B. cereus and S. aureus occurred less frequently in the summer months, although E. coli was recorded more frequently. B. cereus, S. aureus,and E. coli were detected in almost half of the tested samples. The relatively high percentage of B. cereus and S. aureusisolates from EFS corresponded with the model in the final European Food Safety Authority reports on the occurrence of foodborne disease outbreaks in the European Union. Managers of food service facilities should focus on reducing the occurrence of B. cereus and S. aureus.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Contamination of food service facilities in the Czech Republic by foodborne agents was determined.

  • Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were detected in almost 50% of samples.

  • The occurrence of B. cereus, S. aureus, and E. coli depended on the season of the year.

  • Regular monitoring of food service facilities for agents of foodborne disease is necessary.

Research – Distribution of Listeria spp. on Carcasses of Regularly Slaughtered Swine for Italian Dry Cured Ham

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the role of Listeria monocytogenes as a foodborne pathogen in public health has increased. Its presence poses a risk for humans, especially in ready-to-eat foods, such as ham. Understanding the presence and distribution of Listeria spp. on swine carcasses meant for Italian dry-cured hams can be a useful tool to improve food safety. This study assessed the distribution of Listeria spp. (as a marker of contamination with L. monocytogenes) on slaughtered pig carcasses intended for the production of high-quality, Italian, dry-cured ham and examined the roles of the site sampled on the carcass, farming cycle (open versus closed), farm-to-slaughterhouse distance, and time spent in lairage. Samples were collected from swine carcasses (n = 150) before refrigeration, from three different carcass locations (head, shoulder, and thigh), and assessed for the presence of listeriae. A total of 115 carcasses were contaminated with Listeria spp. in at least one location. In all, 178 listeriae were isolated and identified: 130 Listeria innocua, 28 Listeria welshimeri, 17 Listeria ivanovii, and 3 L. monocytogenes. Listeriae were detected on 62.7% of heads, on 25.3% of shoulders, and on 30.7% of thighs, with significant differences between heads versus shoulders and thighs. Animals reared in closed-cycle farms were more contaminated (P < 0.05) than were animals from open-cycle farms (90 versus 71.8%). The distance between farms and slaughterhouse was not related to the contamination rate. Carcasses of swine that stayed in lairage before slaughtering for more than 10 h showed a higher degree of contamination (90%) and were positive for Listeria spp. in more sample sites (55%) compared with those held for less than 2 h (73% of carcasses and 33.3% of samples). Our results show that heads should be detached from carcasses immediately after slaughter for meat-safety purposes and the amount of time animals stay in lairage should be limited. These results will be useful for a more-valid implementation of good manufacturing processes for slaughtering.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Swine carcasses are often contaminated with Listeria spp.

  • Heads are more contaminated than shoulders and thighs.

  • Lairage time higher than 10 h is a risk factor for Listeria spp. contamination.

  • Closed-cycle farms presented greater carcass contamination.

USA – Florida: Hepatitis A positive employee at Pizza Hut – also, unwashed hands, mold and odor of sewage

Food Poison Journal

A joint inspection was conducted on June 11 by the state and the Pinellas County Health Department after a pizza maker tested positive for the contagious disease on June 3. The Pizza Hut at 2421 4th Street North in St Petersburg is the latest restaurant to have a confirmed case of Hepatitis A.

During that food safety inspection, the state found employees not properly washing their hands after handling dirty dishes in the dish area and then unloading clean dishes from the dishwasher.

They also discovered mold on the pizza make cooler, an objectionable odor of sewage in the kitchen near the pizza oven and black mold on the walls.