A recent outbreak of salmonella in the UK and Europe that has made 147 people ill has been linked to ready-to-eat meals containing cucumber, according to European health officials.
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Category Archives: Food Illness
USA -FDA Investigating Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce from Yuma Growing Region
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Update
On July 31 and August 1, 2018, the FDA participated in a meeting of the Leafy Greens Food Safety Task Force that was formed in response to the serious outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 associated with romaine lettuce that occurred earlier this year. During the meeting FDA shared preliminary hypotheses from the Environmental Assessment in Yuma to facilitate conversations with state and local officials, industry and local growers on the hypotheses and associated actions necessary to prevent such an outbreak from occurring again.
As FDA has previously stated, samples of canal water have tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli. FDA continues to consider that contaminated water coming into contact with produce, either through direct irrigation or other means, is a viable explanation for the pattern of contamination. But other hypotheses were discussed as well. FDA notes that the canal is close to a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), a facility with a large number of cattle on the premises. The CAFO can hold in excess of 100,000 head of cattle at any one time and the FDA traceback information showed a clustering of romaine lettuce farms nearby.
Our experts continue to work on examining potential links between the CAFO, adjacent water, and geologic and other factors that may explain the contamination and its relationship to the outbreak. Additional sampling activities will be conducted to further explore and narrow down hypotheses in the near future. Our findings will be detailed in a finalized environmental assessment report.
We urge other government and non-government entities, produce growers in the region, and those engaged in managing the canal systems to work with FDA and marshal and deploy resources to achieve our collective food safety goal. Broad engagement from the surrounding community is critical to developing and implementing remediation measures to reduce the potential for another outbreak. We believe local in-depth knowledge and actions are critical in helping resolve this issue in order to protect public health.
The Environmental Assessment report will be made publicly available when complete.
Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Salmonella, Uncategorized
USA -Norovirus sickens dozens in Transylvania County
Transylvania Public Health Enter a caption
Transylvania Public Health has received more than 70 cases of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea reported by medical providers, as well as phone calls reporting similar symptoms in more than 200 people since Tuesday, July 31.
Officials have received confirmatory laboratory tests from the N.C. State Laboratory of Public Health. Of those people who were tested by their medical providers, a majority were positive for norovirus.
It is believed the outbreak was caused by being exposed to a highly-contagious virus in a public place. While health officials have not pinpointed a source, local media report the McDonald’s in Brevard reopened Friday after closing voluntarily to deep clean the restaurant in the middle of the food illness outbreak.
Malta -Another Maltese Farm Has Been Found To Contain Salmonella
Five days after local authorities confirmed a farm in Malta had salmonella in its eggs, a second producer has been directed to stop selling their produce on the market.
Located in Victoria, Gozo, the sampled eggs were found to have the bacteria by the Veterinary National Control Program.
The farm must now recall all eggs produced from July 13th onwards, and cannot place any more on the market. With license number PLG 016, it is located in 133, St Domenica Street, Victoria, Gozo.
This is the second farm to be found with salmonella after St. Joseph’s farm was blacklisted last Tuesday.
Authorities have warned the public to not consume eggs originating from either of these farms.
Australia -Food poisoning at Bundy restaurant under investigation
THE Wide Bay Public Health Unit is investigating a case of potential food poisoning at a Bundaberg restaurant.
Reports from a number of community members complaining of a possible food-borne illness arose earlier this week.
Wide Bay Public Health Unit acting public health physician Dr Gulam Khandaker said the unit was responsible for investigating food contamination and provided food safety advice as part of its environmental health role.
“Often our investigations rely on information from the community, or from partners in food safety such as local government,” Dr Khandaker said.
“Food-borne illness investigations are complex, and at this early stage no conclusions can yet be drawn.
“We are unable to make further comment until the investigation is further advanced.”
India -25 people treated for suspected food poisoning
At least 25 people were hospitalised for suspected food poisoning after eating at a food joint in Shahpur of Thane district, police said.
The incident occurred at Khardi-Shirol village last evening.
After consuming Chinese fried rice, at least 25 persons complained of giddiness and stomach pain and were hospitalised.
All of them were discharged after treatment.
Police have collected food samples from the joint and sent to the forensic lab, an official said, adding that probe was on.
Ukraine -Food poisoning sickens 70 in Ukrainian capital
KIEV, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) — At least 70 people, including 10 children, were sickened by food poisoning in the Ukrainian capital after eating street snacks, a local food safety official said Thursday.
Oleg Ruban, head of the Kiev office of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, told reporters that the incident marked the worst food poisoning case in Kiev in almost 10 years.
While speaking at the press conference, Ruban said 60 victims, some in severe condition, were hospitalized.
Those who fell ill were diagnosed with an acute enteric infection after eating doner kebab at four locations in different parts of the city, Ruban said.
The snack sellers responsible for the food poisoning have had their businesses suspended, he added.
The police have launched an investigation into the incident.
South Africa – 216 Dead with 1,060 with Listeria in South Africa – People still getting sick from Polony
NICD updated this Listeria Outbreak at the end of July. Of note, the numbers of ill have continued to drop following the recall of Tiger Brands Enterprise Foods polony in March. However, it appears that some of the “recalled” product is still being consumed.
1,060 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported from 01 January 2017 to 17 July 2018. The number of new cases reported each week has decreased since the implicated products were recalled on 04 March 2018 with no new cases of listeriosis reported during the week prior to release of this sitrep (Figure 1). Neonates ≤28 days of age are the most affected age group (42%, 443/1 060), followed by adults aged 15 – 49 years of age (32%, 334/1 060) – Figure 2. Most cases have been reported from Gauteng Province (58%, 614/1 060), followed by Western Cape (13%, 136/1 060) and KwaZulu-Natal (8%, 83/1 060) provinces (Table 1). Final outcome (i.e. death or discharge) is known for 76% (806/1 060) of total cases to date; 27% (216/806) with known outcome died.
Posted in ALS, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis, Uncategorized
RASFF Alerts – Campylobacter – Chicken Breast
RASFF Alert -Foodborne Outbreak suspected Salmonella – Infant Formula
RASFF-foodborne outbreak suspected (salmonellosis) to be caused by infant formula from Ireland in France
Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, RASFF, Salmonella, Uncategorized
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