Category Archives: Food Illness

How Salmonella Avoids the Body’s Immune Response

Posted on March 15, 2012 by | 1 comment

Science Daily – Full Article

Pathogens like salmonella flourish and cause disease in humans through a process by which they acquire metal ions, such as zinc, from the body. One of the body’s key immune responses is to flood the infected area with antimicrobial proteins that include calprotectin, which removes zinc. Without enough of this vital element, most pathogens eventually die.

The study team found, however, that salmonellae overcome this immune response by expressing specialised transporter proteins that enable the bacteria to acquire zinc in spite of calprotectin reducing the amount available in the digestive tract. This distinctive mechanism lets salmonellae continue proliferating.

 At the same time, calprotectin inadvertently promotes salmonella growth by killing the microbes that normally reside within the intestines and help the immune system battle pathogenic bacteria.

 

1 Comment

Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Salmonella

Tagged

Canada CIFA – Recall Beef Burger Products – Ecoli O157

Posted on March 15, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The public warning issued on March 13, 2012has been expanded to include additional products and distribution information.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and New Food Classics are warning the public not to consume certain Best Value beef burger products, described below, because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The following Best Value brand products are affected by this alert:

Product Size UPC Lot Code
10 Beef Burgers 1 kg 0 71212 88103 8 72991 EST 761, 82991 EST 761
20 Beef Burgers 2 kg 0 71212 88104 5 53011 EST 761, 63011 EST 761, 73011 EST 761, 83011 EST 761

These products have been distributed to Giant Tiger and Northern Canada retail stores in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

There has been one reported illness associated with the consumption of these products.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, CIFA, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

Tagged

UK- Staffordshire School – 8 Cases E.coli O157 Confirmed

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

This Is Staffordshire

MORE children at a school forced to close following an outbreak of E.coli have tested positive for the illness.

Tests have revealed eight youngsters from Newcastle’s Friarswood Primary School are infected with E.coli 0157.

Samples taken from all 153 pupils at the school are still being processed.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Tagged

Canada – Salmonella Outbreak – 16 Children Affected

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CBC 

Ottawa Public Health is investigating a lunch catering service they believe caused a salmonella outbreak among children.

Ottawa’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Isra Levy sent a letter to local physicians Tuesday warning them of 16 reports of lab-confirmed cases of salmonella and the number is expected to grow.

The reports have come in during the last three days, the letter reads, and CBC News has confirmed it involves children between the ages of 15 months and 14 years old at three schools and one daycare.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, CIFA, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

New Zealand – Sandwich Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

NZHerald 

A sandwich product has been recalled due to the risk of bacteria being present.

Goodman Fielder NZ is voluntarily recalling its Gourmet Farmhouse flavour of Deli Kitchen sandwiches, due to the possible presence of listeria monocytogenes.

The recall applies only to this flavour of the sandwich with the use by dates of March 13 and 15 this year.

The product was distributed only in the North Island.

Consumers are advised to not eat this product under any circumstances because of a potentially serious health risk.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

India – Two Die Salmonella – Review of India Foodborne Disease.

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Times India

VARANASI: Two children died of food poisoning while more than 30 were admitted to a community health centre in Ghazipur district on Sunday night. The food and civil supply department officials collected samples of food articles while police registered a case against unidentified food vendors in this connection.

British Food Journal

Purpose – To review the nature and extent of foodborne diseases in India due to chemical and microbial agents.

Design/methodology/approach – The scientific investigations/reports on outbreak of foodborne diseases in India for the past 29 (1980-2009) years due to adulteration, chemical, and microbiological contamination has been reviewed. Reported scientific information on foodborne pathogens detected and quantified in Indian foods have also been reviewed.

Findings – A total of 37 outbreaks involving 3485 persons who have been affected due to food poisoning has been reported in India. Although the common forms of foodborne diseases are those due to bacterial contamination of foods, however, higher numbers of deaths have been observed due to chemical contaminants in foods.

Originality/value – A national foodborne disease surveillance system needs to be developed in India in order to enable effective detection, control and prevention of foodborne disease outbreaks.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

Tagged ,

CIFA – Extended Recall E.coli O157

Posted on March 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The public warning issued on February 25, 2012has been expanded to include additional products and distribution information.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and New Food Classics are warning the public not to consume the no name beef burgers and beef steakettes described below because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The following products are affected by this alert:

Product Size UPC Lot Code
no name 12 Beef Burgers 1.36 kg 0 60383 37333 7 BB 2012 AL 22
EST 761
no name Club Pack Beef  Steakettes 2.27 kg 0 60383 01321 9 BB 2012 AL 22
EST 761

These products have been distributed by Loblaws nationally.

There has been one reported illness associated with the consumption of these products.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, CIFA, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

Tagged ,

China – Stricter Food Safety Rules

Posted on March 13, 2012 by | 1 comment

CRI English

A Chinese billionaire beverage tycoon said Monday that besides severe punishment, strict management and unified standards are necessary in ensuring food safety in China.

Zong Qinghou, chairman of beverage giant the Wahaha Group and China’s richest person according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2012, said severe punishment is “necessary”, but measures should be taken to prevent food contamination at “the very beginning” by curbing agricultural pollution.

“With polluted water and soil, pesticide and herbicide-tainted farm produces, antibiotics abuse and illegal uses of feed additives, there will be no food safety,” said Zong, a deputy to the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature.

Zong said the lack of unified food-safety standards has undermined China’s food safety efforts, and too many governments or departments are setting different, or even conflicting standards in food production and circulation.

Chinese courts convicted 320 people in 278 cases related to producing and distributing toxic and harmful food and additives, said another report from the Supreme People’s Court.

1 Comment

Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Staffordshire School Closed for Another Week – E.coli O157

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Staffordshire

 A school at the centre of an E.coli outbreakis unlikely to open until the middle of next week at the earliest.

Officers from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) were at Friarswood Primary School, in Newcastle, today to collect samples from pupils and staff.

All students and workers are being tested for the potentially deadly bacteria after three cases of E.coli were confirmed this week.

A further 10 possible cases have already been identified, although no new cases of the infection, which causes sickness and diarrhoea – and in extreme cases can lead to serious, or even fatal, kidney and blood complications – have been discovered in the last 24 hours.

The HPA, which is overseeing a deep-clean of the 153-pupil school, said there is no date set for when youngsters can return to classes.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Tagged

Just Not Cricket – Salmonella

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Mercury

HEALTH officials are still trying to work out the source of the salmonella infection that has hospitalised four Tasmanian cricketers and an umpire.

The Tigers suspect food they ate in Adelaide on the final day of their Sheffield Shield match against South Australia last Friday was the mostly likely source of the poisoning.

But South Australia officials deny they are responsible.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella