Category Archives: Food Inspections

Australia -Maleny Herb and Garlic Feta – E.coli

Posted on February 6, 2019 by | Leave a comment

FSANZ

Maleny Cheese is conducting a recall of the above product. The product has been available for sale at Market Stall, IGA, Fruit and Veg Stores and Dairy Stores in QLD.

Problem: The recall is due to microbial (E.coli) contamination.

Food safety hazard: Food products contaminated with E.coli may cause illness if consumed.

Country of origin: Australia

What to do: Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. For further information please contact:

Maleny Cheese
07 5494 2207

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Uncategorized

Research – Prevalence of Salmonella Dublin in veal liver in Québec, Canada from a public health perspective

Posted on February 6, 2019 by | Leave a comment

IJID

Purpose: Salmonella enterica is one of the principal causes of foodborne zoonotic enteritis. Among the different serovars, Dublin (S. Dublin) is of particular importance due to its propensity to progress to an invasive infection in humans and due to the high proportion of multi-drug resistant strains in Canada. Cattle are considered as the main reservoir of S. Dublin. This serotype has emerged since 2011 in the province of Quebec, Canada, in both cattle and human populations. First animal cases have been reported in calf production. White veal are valued for the quality of their meat, offal and liver. The liver is usually consumed mildly cooked and is considered as a probable source of foodborne exposure to S. Dublin in humans. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of S. Dublin positive liver after slaughtering and the seroprevalence against S. Dublin at the calf level.

Methods & Materials: Samples were collected from 75 batches in two slaughterhouses from August 2016 to October 2017. For each batch, a liver sample was collected from 8 calves after evisceration and additionally, a blood sample from 15 calves. Liver samples were screened by PCR and then cultured, and serums were tested using an indirect ELISA (PrioCHECK® Salmonella Ab bovine Dublin).

Results: Salmonella was detected by PCR in 20 of the 547 veal livers. Typical isolates were obtained from 14 livers; all were serotyped and identified as S. Dublin, for a prevalence estimate of 3.1% (IC95%: 0.0%-7.45%). At least one seropositive calf was detected in 128 (24%) of the 75 batches. At the calf level, seroprevalence was estimated at 6.97% (IC95%: 2.83%-11.11%). S. Dublin was detected in liver of 14.0% of seropositive calves compared to 1.2% of seronegative ones (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our results show that veal liver can be a source of foodborne exposure to S. Dublin in humans, especially when veal liver is consumed mildly cooked. Surveillance and prevention measures associated with calf production and veal meat, including cooking recommendations could help reduce the burden associated with S. Dublin in humans. Serology could be potentially used in surveillance effort as an indicator to assess the risk of contamination.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Salmonella, Uncategorized

USA – Do You Have These Nut Butters in Your Pantry? – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on February 6, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin listeria

Recently there has been a spate of nut butter recalls for Listeria monocytogenes. These products usually have a very long shelf life, so there’s a good chance that some of these products are in pantries around the country. There is zero tolerance for Listeria contamination in ready to eat products because the bacteria cause such serious illness, and because the consumer doesn’t heat the product, which would kill the pathogens, before eating.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

USA – Hepatitis A Exposure At Kentucky Ave. Burger King in Indianapolis

Posted on February 5, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A worker at the Burger King at 3311 South Kentucky Avenue, near Mann Road in Indianapolis has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. Anyone who ate at that facility from January 21 through January 24, 2019 may have been exposed to the pathogenic virus.

The Marion Countuy Public Health Department is hating a special clinic on Monday, February 4, 2019, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm at its South District Health Office at 7551 South Shelby Street. Anyone who visited that restaurant on the above dates can get a vaccination. People who ate there on January 21 have until today to get a shot, since the vaccine is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. You can also get the shot at doctor’s offices.

The Burger King restaurant management is cooperating with public health officials and is cleaning the restaurant. The restaurant is remaining open while the investigation is ongoing.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus

Kenya – Clovers and Mother Nature’s Peanut Butter Exceeds Aflatoxin Levels – KEBS

Posted on February 5, 2019 by | Leave a comment

All Africa

Nairobi — Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has withdrawn the permits of Triclover and Mother nature’s after their peanut butter products were found to exceeded aflatoxin levels.

In a statement, KEBS said factory inspections undertaken in 2018 revealed that Clovers Peanut Butter and Mother nature’s had aflatoxin levels above the acceptable levels of 15 parts per billion.

“In the last 7 months, KEBS has been undertaking market surveillance of peanut butter. 54 samples of peanut butter have been collected from various points of sale and manufacturers from 1st July, 2018 to date and tested,” said KEBS Acting Managing Director Nguyo Bernard.

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mycotoxin, Toxin, Uncategorized

USA – Norovirus Outbreak Associated with La Fuente in Renton, WA

Posted on February 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin Eurofins

A possible norovirus outbreak has been associated with La Fuente restaurant, located at 14400 South East Petrovitsky Road in Renton, Washington, according to a press release by the King County Public Health Department. Twenty-eight people are sick after eating food and drinking beverages there on January 25, 2019. The 28 people were all from one party.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, 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, Food Testing, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, Uncategorized

New Zealand – Shellfish biotoxin alert – Northland East Coast region

Posted on February 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

MPI

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) today reduced the area affected by the public health warning against collecting shellfish on the Northland East Coast to the area between Kokota (The Sandspit) and Farmer Point.

Routine tests on shellfish samples taken from this region have shown levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins above the safe limit of 0.8 mg/kg set by MPI. Anyone eating shellfish from this area is potentially at risk of illness.

Mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles, scallops, catseyes, kina (sea urchin) and all other bivalve shellfish should not be eaten.

Note: cooking shellfish does not remove the toxin.

Pāua, crab and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking, as toxins accumulate in the gut. If the gut is not removed its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.

Symptoms typically appear between 10 minutes and 3 hours after ingestion and may include:

  • numbness and a tingling (prickly feeling) around the mouth, face, and extremities (hands and feet)
  • difficulty swallowing or breathing
  • dizziness
  • headache
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhoea
  • paralysis and respiratory failure and in severe cases, death.

Map highlighting in red the areas affected.

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Posted in Algal Toxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, paralytic shellfish poisoning, PSP, Toxin, Uncategorized

Australia – Mungalli Creek Kefir 1 Litre BB Date 22/2/2019 No other products affected – E.coli

Posted on February 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

FSAU

Mungalli Creek Dairy would like to alert their Cairns and Townsville customers that the above item has been recalled. Please do not consume and return the product to your place of purchase for a full refund. We have already retrieved 95% of stock prior to sale and are asking for your assistance in retrieving the remaining 5% of stock.

Problem: The recall is due to testing showing the possible presence of E.coli

Food Safety Hazard: Food products contaminated with E. coli may cause illness if consumed

Country of origin: Australia

What to do: Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice. Customers should return the product to the place of purchase for a full cash refund. No other products are affected and this is the only batch of Kefir affected. All new batches will have additional testing to ensure product integrity. We thank you for your assistance and apologise for any inconvenience.
For further information contact Michelle Bell-Turner on 0438 171 248​

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Uncategorized

Research -Identification and Spoilage Potential of the Remaining Dominant Microbiota on Food Contact Surfaces after Cleaning and Disinfection in Different Food Industries

Posted on February 3, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Journal of Food Protection

After cleaning and disinfection (C&D), surface contamination can still be present in the production environment of food companies. Microbiological contamination on cleaned surfaces can be transferred to the manufactured food and consequently lead to foodborne illness and early food spoilage. However, knowledge about the microbiological composition of residual contamination after C&D and the effect of this contamination on food spoilage is lacking in various food sectors. In this study, we identified the remaining dominant microbiota on food contact surfaces after C&D in seven food companies and assessed the spoilage potential of the microbiota under laboratory conditions. The dominant microbiota on surfaces contaminated at ≥102 CFU/100 cm2 after C&D was identified based on 16S rRNA sequences. The ability of these microorganisms to hydrolyze proteins, lipids, and phospholipids, ferment glucose and lactose, produce hydrogen sulfide, and degrade starch and gelatin also was evaluated. Genera that were most abundant among the dominant microbiota on food contact surfaces after C&D were Pseudomonas, Microbacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. Pseudomonas spp. were identified in five of the participating food companies, and 86.8% of the isolates evaluated had spoilage potential in the laboratory tests. Microbacterium and Stenotrophomonas spp. were identified in five and six of the food companies, respectively, and all tested isolates had spoilage potential. This information will be useful for food companies in their quest to characterize surface contamination after C&D, to identify causes of microbiological food contamination and spoilage, and to determine the need for more thorough C&D.

 

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Posted in Faecal Streptpcocci, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus, Uncategorized

Canada – Raw Chicken Salmonella Outbreak in Canada Grows to 529 Sick

Posted on February 1, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

 

A raw chicken Salmonella outbreak in Canada has grown to include 529 laboratory-confirmed illnesses. Ninety people have been hospitalized, and three people have died. However, Salmonella was not the case of death for two of those patients, and it was not determined whether this illness contributed to the death of the third person.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food death, 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, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Salmonella, Uncategorized