Category Archives: Food Illness

UK – Scottish Nursery Children Ill with Salmonella

Posted on October 13, 2013 by | 2 comments

Evening Telegraph

Several children who attend the same Dundee nursery have been hit by salmonella.

Eight children at Technotots Nursery in Brunel Road, Wester Gourdie Industrial Estate, were struck down with the bacteria last month.

NHS Tayside’s health protection team, environmental health officers and Health Protection Scotland have been called in to identify the source of exposure. As yet the investigation has not revealed what caused the salmonella infections but the owner of Technotots denies it originated in the nursery.

The children involved were not believed to have been taken seriously ill.

An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said none had to be hospitalised as a result of their condition.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Pathogen, Salmonella

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Research -Raw Milk Concumption Benefits and Risks

Posted on October 11, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Science DirectimagesCAZ9J1WP

In the context of the prevailing trend toward more natural products, there seems to be an increasing preference for raw milk consumption as raw milk is associated with several perceived health benefits that are believed to be destroyed upon heating. However, many human pathogens can be isolated from raw cow milk. The prevalence of foodborne pathogens in raw cow milk varies, but their presence has been demonstrated in many surveys and foodborne infections have been repeatedly reported for Campylobacter, Salmonella spp. and human pathogenic verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli. In industrialized countries, milk-borne and milk product-borne outbreaks represent 2–6% of the bacterial foodborne outbreaks.

The aim of this review is to present scientifically sound data regarding the risks and benefits related to the consumption of raw and heated cow milk. Both microbiological aspects (e.g., the prevalence of milk-borne pathogens, pathogen growth inhibition by antimicrobial systems and by lactic acid producing bacteria, probiotic bacteria, etc.) and nutritional or health aspects (nutritional value, immunity, allergies, lactose intolerance, diabetes, milk digestibility, etc.) are considered.

As such, it is demonstrated that consumption of raw milk poses a realistic health threat due to a possible contamination with human pathogens. It is therefore strongly recommended that milk should be heated before consumption. With the exception of an altered organoleptic profile, heating (in particularly ultra high temperature and similar treatments) will not substantially change the nutritional value of raw milk or other benefits associated with raw milk consumption.

 

Science Direct

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Raw Milk, Research

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USA – Salmonella Issues – Mexican Restaurant – Fundraising Dinner – Raw Chicken

Posted on October 8, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Many Americans are unaware that Salmonella poisoning causes real illness with real costs. In the U.S., direct medical cost associated with the treatment of Salmonella poisoning total about $1 million each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We need to understand the true burden of Salmonella in our food,’’ said Fred Pritzker, a national food safety lawyer, who is publishes Food Poisoning Bulletin. “If we don’t raise awareness, we’ll never get the interventions we need to stop food poisoning.’’

Each year, about 1.5 million Americans are sickened by Salmonella poisoning.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Public health officials in Illinois and Kentucky are investigating separate outbreaks of Salmonella associated with independent Mexican restaurants. Combined, the Hacienda Don Villo outbreak in Channahon, Illinois, and the Casa Mexicana outbreak in Madisonville, Kentucky, have sickened about 50 people. In Kentucky, one of the outbreak patients has died.

“Every outbreak of Salmonella carries the prospect of life-long illness for unsuspecting families,’’ said Fred Pritzker, founder of national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. Pritzker said too many people downplay the burdens of Salmonella infection, which can trigger an assortment of long-term illness in some patients. In others, Salmonellosis resolves itself with no medical attention and the illness is over.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Several news outlets are reporting that a Salmonella outbreak in Limestone County, Alabama is associated with an annual bean dinner fundraiser in Athens at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, held by the Limestone County Foundation on Aging. At least six people have been confirmed ill with the pathogenic bacteria.

The dinner was held on Friday night, October 4, 2013. The hospital then saw “dozens of people” over the weekend with symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. The Alabama Department of Public health is now involved and will testing food that is left over from the meal.

Food Safety News

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert Monday after an estimated 278 illnesses in 18 states caused by Salmonella Heidelberg were linked to consumption of raw chicken produced at three Foster Farms facilities in California.

FSIS said while the illnesses had not been been linked to a specific product or production period, raw chicken from the company’s California facilities bear one of the these establishment numbers inside a USDA mark of inspection or elsewhere on the package: “P6137,” “P6137A,” and “P7632.” The products were mainly distributed to retail outlets in California, Oregon and Washington state.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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USA – Vibrio Poisoning in Florida 2013

Posted on October 8, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsV

At least 27 Floridians have been sickened this year – and nine have died– from infections of Vibrio vulnificus, a deadly bacterium that lives in warm seawater and is commonly associated with eating raw oysters and other shellfish. The figure came from a news release published last week by the Florida Department of Health.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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RASFF Alerts – Salmonella -Turkey – Poultry

Posted on October 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen boneless turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) from Brazil in Italy

RASFF-Salmonella in frozen chicken meat (Gallus gallus) from Brazil in Italy

RASFF -Salmonella (present /25g) in frozen poultry meat preparation from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF -Salmonella Agona in frozen turkey meat preparation from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF -Salmonella Agona (presence /25g) in frozen turkey meat preparation from Brazil in the Netherlands

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella

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Research -Mycotoxin Producing Moulds

Posted on September 27, 2013 by | Leave a comment

NeoGen BlogAspergillus

With the harvest underway, it’s important to keep a watchful eye out for mycotoxin-producing molds. These species include Aspergillus flavus, which causes Aspergillus ear rot and produces the carcinogenic toxin aflatoxin, as well as species of Fusarium molds. These toxins can lead to production losses as grain may be rejected, as well as leading to illness in humans or animals that consume the toxin in significant quantities. Here’s a quick primer on some molds of concern and the toxins they produce. For more information and regulatory thresholds for toxins, please see Neogen’s Mycotoxin Handbook.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Animal Feed, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Spoilage, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Pathogen, Poisoning, Toxin

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USA- Hepatitis A – Townsend Farms and Hawaii Restaurant NYC

Posted on September 24, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoinng Journal

As of September 20, 2013, 162 people have been confirmed to have become ill from hepatitis A after eating ‘Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend’ in 10 states: Arizona (23), California (79), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (11), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). [Note: The cases reported from Wisconsin resulted from exposure to the product in California, the cases reported from New Hampshire reported fruit exposure during travel to Nevada, and the case reported in New Jersey was a household contact of a confirmed case from Colorado.] Currently, 6 of the confirmed cases are household contacts of confirmed cases (secondary cases).

Food Poisoning Journal

In response to cases of hepatitis A infections in an employee and four customers at New Hawaii Sea restaurant, located at 1475 Williamsbridge Road in the Bronx, the New York City Health Department is urging customers who ate at the restaurant, either in-store, through catering or delivery, between September 7th and September 19th to receive hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. Any leftover food from this restaurant should also be discarded. Any person who ate at New Hawaii Sea, either in-store, through catering or delivery, between September 7th and September 19th is considered at risk and is recommended to receive hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. Any person who ate food from this restaurant before September 7th should be evaluated if they have symptoms suggestive of infection. The Health Department is working with the restaurant to ensure that all the food handlers are vaccinated.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen

Canada – E.coli O157 in Cheese Update

Posted on September 24, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Public Health Agency of Canada says that now fourteen cases of E. coli O157:H7 are associated with contaminated raw milk cheese products manufactured by Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. There are four people who are ill in British Columbia; eight in Alberta; one in Saskatchewan; and one in Quebec. One person in British Columbia has died as a result of this infection.

Ill persons started getting sick between mid-July and early September. Some of Gort’s raw milk cheeses have been recalled as a result of this outbreak. The statement said that “there is currently no indication of widespread risk to Canadians. However, E. coli O157:H7 can pose a serious public health risk. Additional cases of illness may be identified and linked to this outbreak in the future.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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USA – One Dead from Salmonella Outbreak in Kentucky

Posted on September 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsSalm

Salmonella outbreak in Hopkins County, Kentucky, has killed one person and caused another seven confirmed illnesses.

The cause of the outbreak is still unknown, according to county health officials. Investigators have begun interviewing victims to see where or what they might have eaten in the days leading up to their illnesses.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

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RASFF Alert – Histamine – Tuna

Posted on September 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Histamine (240 mg/kg – ppm) in chilled tuna loins from Spain

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Histamine, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Toxin

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