Category Archives: Food Micro Blog

International outbreak of salmonellosis in young children linked to the consumption of Kinder brand products. Update on April 27, 2022.

Sante Publique

Update on 04/27/22 following the recall of several Kinder range products manufactured in a factory in Belgium due to suspected contamination by  Salmonella Typhimurium .

Following the investigations carried out by the Belgian health authorities, together with their English, European and in particular French counterparts, the company Ferrero proceeded on April 5, 2022 to the recall of several Kinder range products manufactured in a factory in Belgium due to suspected contamination by Salmonella Typhimurium . On April 8, 2022, the recall finally affected all Kinder products from this factory, regardless of their expiry date. On April 14, 2022, an update of the recalled products, including the 2021 Christmas Advent Calendars, was released.

Case of salmonellosis in France: update on April 27, 2022

In total, as of 04/27/2022: 59 cases of salmonellosis with a strain belonging to the epidemic have been identified by the National Reference Center (CNR) for salmonella at the Institut Pasteur in France. 

The 59 cases are spread over 11 regions (Ile-de-France (11 cases), Grand-Est (10 cases), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (9 cases), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (7 cases) , Hauts-de-France (6 cases), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (4 cases), Normandy (4 cases), New Aquitaine (3 cases), Brittany (2 cases), Occitanie (2 cases), and Corsica ( 1 case)), with a median age of 3 years, and involved 29 boys and 30 girls.

Forty-two cases were able to be questioned by Public Health France. All the cases report, before the onset of their symptoms (which occurred between 20/01 and 31/03/2022), the consumption of chocolates of the brand cited here. Seventeen people were hospitalized for their salmonellosis, all since discharged. No deaths were reported.

Public Health France is continuing its investigations with the families of cases recently reported by the CNR. 

The successive withdrawals and recalls of the Kinder brand products concerned, produced by the Belgian factory with its closure by the Belgian authorities, should limit the occurrence in France of new cases of salmonellosis in the coming days/weeks. 

To find out the list of products concerned by the withdrawal-recall: https://rappel.conso.gouv.fr/

People who have consumed the products mentioned above and who present symptoms (gastrointestinal disorders, fever within 72 hours of consumption), are invited to consult their doctor without delay, notifying him of this consumption.

In order to limit person-to-person transmission (especially in households with young children), it is recommended to wash your hands well with soap and water after using the toilet, after changing your child, and before to cook.

International situation

See the previous points

France – Investigation of grouped cases of haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) and shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections linked to the consumption of Buitoni® brand Fraîch’Up pizzas. Update on April 25, 2022.

Sante Publique

Update on April 25, 2022 on the grouped cases of haemolytic-uremic syndrome and E. coli infections producing shiga-toxin and the consumption of frozen pizzas from the Fraîch’Up range of the Buitoni® brand.

Public Health France and the National Reference Center (CNR) E. coli and its associated laboratory (Institut Pasteur, Paris, and Microbiology Laboratory of the Robert Debré Hospital, Paris), in conjunction with the Directorate General for Food, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention, and in coordination with the Directorate General for Health, have been investigating since 02/10/2022 an increase in the number of cases of haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) pediatric infections and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections.

The epidemiological, microbiological and traceability investigations carried out since that date have confirmed a link between the occurrence of these grouped cases and the consumption of frozen pizzas from the Buitoni brand Fraîch’Up range contaminated with STEC bacteria. On 03/18/2022, the company proceeded with the withdrawal-recall of all the pizzas in the Fraîch’Up range, marketed since June 2021 and the authorities asked the people who hold these pizzas not to consume them and to destroy them.

The total number of HUS cases linked to the consumption of these pizzas seems to have stabilized since the withdrawal-recall.

Case of SHU in France: update on 04/25/22

As of 04/25/2022, 55 confirmed cases have been identified, of which 53 are linked to STEC O26 strains, and 2 to STEC O103 strains. 

These 55 cases occurred in 54 children and 1 adult, who presented symptoms between 18/01/2022 (week 3) and 25/03/2022 (week 12) (Figure 1). The epidemic peak is in week 7 (14/02 to 20/02) and week 9 (28/02 to 06/03), with 10 cases each of these weeks.
These 55 cases occurred in 12 regions of metropolitan France: Hauts-de-France (12 cases), Ile-de-France (9 cases), New Aquitaine (8 cases), Pays de la Loire (7 cases), Brittany ( 6 cases), Grand Est (3 cases), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (2 cases), Occitanie (2 cases), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (2 cases), Center Val-de-Loire (2 cases) , Bourgogne Franche-Comté (1 case) and Normandy (1 case) (figure 2).

The 54 sick children are aged from 1 to 17 years with a median age of 7 years; 24 (44%) are female; 47 (87%) presented with HUS, 7 (13%) with STEC gastroenteritis. Two children died. The adult did not present with HUS.

Figure 1 – Epidemic curve: number of confirmed cases of HUS and STEC infections, by week of onset of symptoms – Metropolitan France, weeks 3 to 12, 2022 (N=53: week of onset of symptoms not specified for 2 cases )
Figure 1 - Epidemic curve: number of confirmed cases of HUS and STEC infections, by week of onset of symptoms - Metropolitan France, weeks 3 to 12, 2022 (N=53: week of onset of symptoms not specified for 2 cases )
Figure 2 – Geographical distribution of confirmed cases of HUS and STEC infections (N=55) linked to the consumption of Buitoni® brand Fraîch’Up pizzas, by region of residence in metropolitan France, weeks 3 to 12, 2022
Figure 2 - Geographical distribution of confirmed cases of HUS and STEC infections (N=55) linked to the consumption of Buitoni® brand Fraîch'Up pizzas, by region of residence in metropolitan France, weeks 3 to 12, 2022

RASFF Alerts – Norovirus – Clams and Sea Truffles

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Norovirus (GI – GII viral genome) in clams (ruditapes ph.) from Spain in Italy and Portugal

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Norovirus (GI-GII viral genome) in sea truffles (Venus verrucosa) from Spain in Portugal and Italy

RASFF Alert – STEC E.coli – Bovine Carcass

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STEC (stx+;eae+) in bovine carcass from Belgium in France

RASFF Alert – Listeria monocytogenes – Pigs Head

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Listeria monocytogenes in pig’s head from Belgium in Luxembourg

RASFF Alert – Traceability related to the foodborne outbreak suspected (Salmonella Typhimurium monophasic) to be caused by chocolate products from Belgium

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 Albania (d) Andorra (d) Argentina (d) Armenia (d) Australia (d) Austria (d)(ffa) Azerbaijan (d) Belarus (d) Belgium (n)(o)(d)(op)(ffa) Bosnia and Herzegovina (d) Bulgaria (d)(ffa) Canada (d) Chile (d) Costa Rica (d) Croatia (d)(ffa) Cyprus (d)(ffa) Czech Republic (d)(ffa) Denmark (d)(ffa) Dominican Republic (d) Egypt (d) El Salvador (d) Estonia (d)(ffa) Ethiopia (d)Faeroe Islands (d) Finland (d)(ffa) France (d)(ffa) French Guiana (d) French Polynesia (d) Georgia (d) Germany (d)(ffa) Greece (d)(ffa) Guadeloupe (d) Guatemala (d) Honduras (d) Hong Kong (d) Hungary (d)(ffa)INFOSAN (ffa) Iceland (d)(ffa) India (d) Iraq (d) Ireland (d)(ffa) Israel (d) Italy (d)(ffa) Jordan (d) Kazakhstan (d)Kosovo (d) Kuwait (d) Kyrgyzstan (d) Latvia (d)(ffa) Lebanon (d) Lithuania (d)(ffa) Luxembourg (d)(ffa) Madagascar (d) Malaysia (d) Malta (d)(ffa) Mauritius (d) Mayotte (d) Mexico (d)Moldova (d) Mongolia (d) Montenegro (d) Morocco (d) Netherlands (d)(ffa) New Caledonia (d) New Zealand (d) Nicaragua (d) Norway (d)(ffa) Oman (d) Panama (d) Paraguay (d) Poland (d)(ffa) Portugal (d)(ffa) Qatar (d)Republic of North Macedonia (d) Romania (d)(ffa)Russia (d) Réunion (d) San Marino (d) Saudi Arabia (d) Serbia (d) Singapore (d) Slovakia (d)(ffa) Slovenia (d)(ffa) Spain (d)(ffa) Sweden (d)(ffa) Switzerland (d)(ffa)Syria (d)Taiwan (d) Tajikistan (d) Tunisia (d) Turkey (d) Turkmenistan (d) Ukraine (d) United Arab Emirates (d) United Kingdom (d) United States (d) Uruguay (d) Uzbekistan (d)Vatican City (d)

(n) Notifying | (o) Origin | (d) Distribution | (op) Operator
(ffup) Flagged for Follow-Up | (ffa) Flagged For Attention

RASFF Alerts -Salmonella – Polish Chicken Products – Black Pepper – Chicken Neck Skins – Ham and Pistachio Roll – Chicken Liver – Frozen Pork Meat – Organic Coriander Seed –

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Salmonella enteritidis in chicken neck skins from the Czech Republic in Slovakia

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Salmonella Infantis in 25 g of the product – poultry meat from Poland in the Czech Republic

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Salmonella in meat product (ham and pistachio roll) from Belgium in France

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Salmonella spp. in Chicken elements and chicken neck skin from Poland in the UK and Germany

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Salmonella Enteritidis in official samples of chicken neck skins from Poland in the Netherlands

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Salmonella in frozen pork meat from Spain in Finland

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Salmonella gr C in chicken filet from Poland in the Netherlands

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Salmonella spp. in organic coriander seed of unknown origin, via Italy in Germany

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany and  the Netherlands

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Salmonella in chicken liver from Poland in the Netherlands

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Salmonella spp. in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

Research – Mechanisms of Inhibition of Quorum Sensing as an Alternative for the Control of E. coli and Salmonella

MDPI

Quorum sensing (QS) is a process of cell–cell communication for bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella that cause foodborne diseases, with the production, release, and detection of autoinducer (AI) molecules that participate in the regulation of virulence genes. All of these proteins are useful in coordinating collective behavior, the expression of virulence factors, and the pathogenicity of Gram-negative bacteria. In this work, we review the natural or synthetic inhibitor molecules of QS that inactivate the autoinducer and block QS regulatory proteins in E. coli and Salmonella. Furthermore, we describe mechanisms of QS inhibitors (QSIs) that act as competitive inhibitors, being a useful tool for preventing virulence gene expression through the downregulation of AI-2 production pathways and the disruption of signal uptake. In addition, we showed that QSIs have negative regulatory activity of genes related to bacterial biofilm formation on clinical artifacts, which confirms the therapeutic potential of QSIs in the control of infectious pathogens. Finally, we discuss resistance to QSIs, the design of next-generation QSIs, and how these molecules can be leveraged to provide a new antivirulence therapy to combat diseases caused by E. coli or Salmonella. View Full-Text

RASFF Alerts – Ochratoxin A – Raisins

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Ochratoxin A (68 mg/kg – ppm) in raisins from Uzbekistan, via Lithuania in Latvia

RASFF Alerts- Aflatoxins – Groundnut Kernels – Ground Ginger – Organic Spelt Flour – Basmati Brown Rice – Groundnuts – Shelled Pistachios – Dried Figs

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Aflatoxins in Indian Groundnut Kernels in the Netherlands and Switzerland

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Aflatoxins in Indian Groundnut Kernels in the Netherlands and Switzerland

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Aflatoxin B1 in Indian Groundnut Kernels in the Netherlands and Switzerland

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Aflatoxins in ground ginger from Syria in Germany

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Aflatoxins in organic spelt flour from France in Belgium

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Aflatoxin B1 in super basmati brown rice from Pakistan in the Netherlands

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Aflatoxin in Bolivian Groundnuts in the Netherlands and Spain

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Aflatoxins in organic blanched Egyptian Groundnuts in Germany and the Netherlands

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Aflatoxins beyond the maximum limits allowed in shelled Pistachios from Turkey in Italy

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Pistachios in shell origin Iran / aflatoxins above the legal limits in pistachios in shell from Iran in Italy

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Aflatoxin B1 in Turkish organic diced dried Figs in the Netherlands