Tippecanoe County Department of Health announced today that it is investigating a cluster of Salmonella cases linked to West Lafayette grocery store La Aldea Grocery Store at 2801 Klondike Road. The TC DOH department is coordinating with the state Department of Health on its investigation into this La Aldea Store Salmonella Outbreak.
Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Salmonella
The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reported Friday the investigation of two suspected ciguatoxin poisoning cases.
The cases, one male and one female, aged 9 and 16 respectively, who developed symptoms of ciguatoxin poisoning including nausea and tongue numbness about 30 minutes to one and a half hours after consuming a marine fish at a restaurant in To Kwa Wan Thursday.
Both patients are now in stable condition.
Ciguatera fish poisoning is not uncommon in tropical areas. It is mainly associated with the consumption of big coral reef fish which have accumulated the toxin in the body, particularly in internal organs, through eating small fish that consumed toxic algae in coral reef seas.
A larger fish is therefore more likely to carry higher amounts of the toxin. However, it is not easy to tell from the appearance of the fish whether it contains the toxin.
Foodborne disease remains a major public health problem worldwide. To understand the epidemiology and changes of foodborne disease in China, data reported to the National Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System during 2003–2017 were collected. A total of 19,517 outbreaks, which resulted in 235,754 illnesses, 107,470 hospitalizations, and 1,457 deaths, were reported in this period. Of the 13,307 outbreaks with known etiology, 31.8% of outbreaks were caused by poisonous mushrooms, followed by Vibrio parahaemolyticus (11.3%), saponin (8.0%), Salmonella (6.8%), nitrite (6.4%), pesticide (4.8%), Staphylococcus aureus (4.2%) and Bacillus cereus (3.0%). Among 18,955 outbreaks with reported setting, 46.6% were associated with food prepared in a household, followed by 22.5% with food prepared in a restaurant, and 18.4% prepared in a canteen. Of the 13,305 outbreaks associated with a single food category, fungi (mainly poisonous mushroom) were the most commonly implicated food category, followed by meats, vegetables, aquatic animals, condiments, poisonous plants (such as saponin, tung oil or seed, aconite) and grains (such as rice, noodle, rice noodle). Analysis of foodborne disease outbreaks can provide insight into the most important causative agents and sources of foodborne disease, and assist public health agencies determine the high-risk etiology and food pairs, specific points of contamination and settings to reduce foodborne disease illnesses.
Posted in Bacillus, Bacillus cereus, Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Following outbreaks linked to frozen strawberries in Sweden and Austria in 2018, 65 cases linked to the same hepatitis A virus strain were detected in Germany between October 2018 and January 2020, presenting in two waves. Two case–control studies and a comparison of cases’ consumption frequencies with purchase data from a large consumer panel provided strong evidence for frozen strawberry cake as the main vehicle of transmission. Of 46 cases interviewed, 27 reported consuming frozen strawberry cake and 25 of these identified cake(s) from brand A spontaneously or in product picture-assisted recall. Trace back investigations revealed that the Polish producer involved in the previous outbreaks in Sweden and Austria had received frozen strawberries from Egypt via a wholesaler that also delivered frozen strawberries to manufacturer of brand A. Phylogenetic analyses linked the outbreak strain to similar strains formerly isolated from sewage, stool and strawberries in Egypt. Complete trace back and timely recall of products with strong evidence of contamination is important to control an outbreak and prevent later resurgence, particularly for food items with a long shelf life. Continued molecular surveillance of hepatitis A is needed to identify outbreaks and monitor the success of food safety interventions.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Virus
Interferon (IFN) responses are one of the first defenses the body mounts against viral infections, and research has shown that it plays a role controlling viral replication. But when researchers at Baylor College of Medicine investigated whether IFN restricted human norovirus (HuNoV) infection in human intestinal enteroids (HIEs), a cultivation system that recapitulates many of the characteristics of the human infection, they unexpectedly discovered that endogenous IFN responses by HIEs restricted growth of HuNoV strain GII.3, but not of GII.4, the most common strain worldwide.
A federal court in Texas sentenced ice cream manufacturer Blue Bell Creameries L.P. to pay $17.25 million in criminal penalties for shipments of contaminated products linked to a 2015 listeriosis outbreak.
The Brenham, Texas-based Blue Bell is an iconic 113-year old ice cream maker whose product was once only available in the Lone Star State. It now distributes in about half the country with manufacturing in Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma. The 2005 listeria outbreak proved both costly and deadly for the ice cream maker.
Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology
foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by and norovirus (GI, GII) in frozen tellins (Donax trunculus) from Turkey in Spain
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hygiene, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, RASFF, Virus
Published 14.09.2020 Last changed 16.09.2020
In April 2020, EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) published a risk assessment related to Listeria monocytogenes in frozen fruits and vegetables that are blanched before freezing. The risk assessment was made as a result of a major international outbreak with listeriosis caused by frozen maize from Hungary.
EFSA identified several control activities that manufacturers can implement to reduce the risk, including cleaning and disinfection of the production environment, water, time and temperature control at various production stages , and correct labeling of the products:
FSA 2020 – The public health risk posed by Listeria monocytogenes in frozen fruits and vegetables including herbs, blanched during processing
In 2013 and 2014, EFSA published six reports on the dangers associated with pathogenic microorganisms in fruits, berries and vegetables.
EFSA 2013 – Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by pathogens in food of non-animal origin:
Part 1: Outbreak data analysis and risk ranking of food / pathogen combinations
Part 2: (5 sub-reports)
1. Salmonella and norovirus in leafy greens eaten raw as salads
2. Salmonella and Norovirus in berries
3. Salmonella and Norovirus in tomatoes
5. Salmonella, Yersinia, Shigella and Norovirus in bulb and stem vegetables, and carrots
In 2011, following the large outbreak of shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in sprouts in Germany and France, EFSA prepared a risk assessment for STECs and other pathogenic bacteria in sprouted seeds (sprouts, shoots and watercress). The seeds can be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria during production, storage and distribution, e.g. via contaminated irrigation water or soil. The germination process with high heat and moisture provides good growth conditions for bacteria found on the seeds:
EFSA 2011 – Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and other pathogenic bacteria in seeds and sprouted seeds
Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 14 (ANI): Two children died of food poisoning, and another is in critical condition in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh after they consumed biscuits bought from a local shop along with tea on Sunday.
The SI added that Allagadda Government Hospital’s doctor has confirmed that case was of food poisoning, but whether the poisoning occurred due to biscuits or tea is yet to be probed.
1,518 sickened with Salmonella Newport in United States and Canada linked to California Thomson onions.
In Canada, as of September 14, 2020, there have been 506 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport illness linked to this onion outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (116), Alberta (292), Saskatchewan (34), Manitoba (25), Ontario (14), Quebec (24) and Prince Edward Island (1).
Individuals became sick between mid-June and mid-August 2020. Seventy-one individuals have been hospitalized. Two people have died.
Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology
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