Category Archives: Food Microbiology Research

Research – Genetic Diversity and Potential Virulence of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates Originating from Polish Artisanal Cheeses

MDPI

Artisanal cheeses can be sources of Listeria monocytogenes and cause disease in humans. This bacterial pathogen is a species of diverse genotypic and phenotypic characteristics. The aim of the study was to characterize 32 isolates of L. monocytogenes isolated in 2014–2018 from artisanal cheeses. The isolates were characterized using whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The artisanal cheese isolates resolved to four molecular groups: 46.9% of them to IIa (1/2a-3a), 31.2% to IVb (4ab-4b-4d-4e), 12.5% to IIc (1/2c-3c), and 9.4% to IIb (1/2b-3b-7). Two evolutionary lineages emerged: lineage II having 59.4% of the isolates and lineage I having 40.6%. The sequence types (ST) totaled 18: ST6 (15.6% of the isolates), ST2, ST20, ST26, and ST199 (each 9.4%), ST7 and ST9 (each 6.3%), and ST1, ST3, ST8, ST16, ST87, ST91, ST121, ST122, ST195, ST217, and ST580 (each 3.1%). There were 15 detected clonal complexes (CC): CC6 (15.6% of isolates), CC9 (12.5%), CC2, CC20, CC26, and CC199 (each 9.4%), CC7 and CC8 (each 6.3%), and CC1, CC3, CC14, CC87, CC121, CC195, and CC217 (each 3.1%). The isolates were varied in their virulence genes and the differences concerned: inlactA, LIPI-3, amigtcAautvip, and lntAView Full-Text

USA – FDA -Seafood Safety -What’s New?

FDA

What’s New

Guidance for Industry

Publication of updated sections of the Fish and Fishery Products-Hazards and Controls Guidance.

RASFF Alerts – Vibrio vulnificus – Shrimps

RASFF

Detection of vibrio vulnificus in frozen raw shrimps from Ecuador in France

RASFF

Vibrio vulnificus detected in frozen whole raw shrimps (Penaeus vannamei) from Venezuela in France

Research – Protecting businesses and consumers from Mycotoxin contamination.- Infographic

Waters

USA – FDA Core Outbreak Table Update

FDA

What’s New

  • A new outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref# 1106) in a not yet identified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated an on-site inspection and sample collection and analysis.
  • For the Salmonella Mississippi outbreak (ref# 1097) in a not yet identified product the case count has increased from 100 to 102 cases.
  • To highlight ongoing investigations, all incidents with a closed investigation and an outbreak that has ended will now be archived, by year, in the tables located below the Active Investigations table.

Research – Effect of sub-lethal treatment of carvacrol and thymol on virulence potential and resistance to several bactericidal treatments of Staphylococcus aureusResearch –

Journal of Food Protection

This study examined the changes in biofilm-formation ability, hemolytic/lipase/nuclease/protease activities, and resistance to various bactericidal treatments of Staphylococcus aureus after sublethal treatment with carvacrol and thymol. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of carvacrol and thymol for S. aureus were 0.4 and 0.3 mg/ml, respectively, and sublethal concentrations (1/2 and 1/4 MIC) were determined based on these concentrations. Sublethal treatment with carvacrol and thymol did not change the protease and lipase activities but reduced the hemolytic and nuclease activities of S. aureus. After sublethal treatment with carvacrol and thymol, the biofilm-formation ability of S. aureus was decreased, which was found to be due to the decrease in cell surface hydrophobicity. In addition, after sublethal treatment with carvacrol and thymol, the resistance of S. aureus to heating and malic acid treatments increased, whereas resistance to ultraviolet and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) decreased, and resistance to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) did not change. The results of this study show that sublethal treatment with carvacrol and thymol can effectively suppress some virulence factors of S. aureus and that applying HOCl or ultraviolet radiation would be an effective subsequent treatment to inactivate S. aureus after sublethal treatment.

Research – Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2020

ECDC

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For 2020, 28 EU/EEA countries reported 4 824 confirmed cases of Shiga toxin -producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection. The overall notification rate was 1.6 cases per 100 000 population. The highest notification rates were reported in Ireland, Malta, Denmark, and Norway. The EU/EEA notification rate decreased notably in 2020 compared with 2016-2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The highest rate of confirmed cases was observed in 0–4-year-old children, with 8.6 cases per 100 000 population for males and 7.5 cases per 100 000 population for females.

Click to access STEC-infection-AER-2020-JD-FINAL.pdf

New Zealand – Public health warning for shellfish reduced for West Coast, North Island – PSP Toxins

MPI

New Zealand Food Safety today reduced a public health warning against collecting shellfish in the Waikato and Taranaki region. The public health warning now extends from Albatross Point south to Oakura Beach and no longer applies to Kawhia and Aotea Harbours. More testing is being undertaken to determine the levels of paralytic shellfish toxins in the affected area.

Routine tests on shellfish samples taken from the Aotea/Kawhia Harbour area have shown levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins are now within the safe limit of 0.8 mg/kg set by New Zealand Food Safety.

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.

If anyone becomes ill after eating shellfish from an area where a public health warning has been issued, phone Healthline for advice on 0800 61 11 16, or seek medical attention immediately. You are also advised to contact your nearest public health unit and keep any leftover shellfish in case it can be tested.

Monitoring of toxin levels will continue and any changes will be communicated accordingly. Commercially harvested shellfish – sold in shops and supermarkets, or exported – is subject to strict water and flesh monitoring programmes by MPI to ensure they are safe to eat.

India – 11 people fall sick after consuming stale food in MP’s Khargone district

Business Standard

Eleven people fell sick after consuming stale food during ‘shraddh’, a ritual performed to pay homage to a dead ancestor, in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district, an official said on Monday.

The incident took place on Sunday after ‘kheer’ (a sweet dish made of milk) was served to the people during the ritual in Saigon town.

In the evening, 11 people including five women and two girls complained of vomiting and upset stomach. After preliminary treatment at Saigon health centre, they were referred to the district hospital, Dr Mayank Patidar from the medical facility said.

The condition of all of them is stable now, he said.

The food department has collected the kheer sample for testing, he said.

The official said it was suspected that the milk used in the kheer preparation had turned stale which resulted in food poisoning.

Europe – ECDC Vibrio Map Viewer

ECDC

ECDC Vibrio map viewer

KSWFOODWORLD

The Vibrio suitability tool (Vibrio map viewer) shows the environmental suitability for Vibrio growth in the Baltic Sea. It is a near real-time model that uses daily updated remote sensing data to examine worldwide environmental conditions, such as sea surface temperature and salinity for Vibrio spp.. The model used for the Vibrio viewer has been calibrated to the Baltic Region in Northern Europe and might not apply to other worldwide settings prior to validation.

Infections caused by Vibrio species other than V. cholerae can be serious, particularly for immunocompromised persons. However, the overall occurrence is low despite an increase having recently been observed in northern Europe.

ECDC monitors Vibrio growth in the Baltic Sea during the summer. If and when the risk of Vibrio growth is determined as medium or above, notifications are reported in the weekly threats reports (CDTR). The original viewer is available on the ECDC website: https://geoportal.ecdc.europa.eu/vibriomapviewer