Category Archives: Food Microbiology Research

Research – An 11-Year Analysis of Bacterial Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in Zhejiang Province, China

MDPI

Background: Foodborne diseases are a growing public health problem and contribute significantly to the global burden of disease and mortality. Bacteria are the most common foodborne pathogens. We aimed to explore characteristics of bacterial foodborne disease outbreaks (FBDOs) in Zhejiang Province and to provide data support for foodborne disease prevention and control. Methods: Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the data reported by centers for disease control (CDCs) at all levels in Zhejiang Province through Foodborne Disease Outbreaks Surveillance System (FDOSS) during 2010–2020. Results: CDCs in Zhejiang Province reported 517 bacterial FBDOs in 11 years, resulting in 7031 cases, 911 hospitalizations, and 3 deaths. Vibrio parahaemolyticus had the highest number of outbreaks, accounting for 58.41% of the total bacterial outbreaks, followed by Salmonella (18.38%). In all settings, restaurants (37.14%), staff canteens (11.99%), and households (11.80%) were responsible for the large number of outbreaks. Aquatic products (42.08%), meat and meat products (23.56%), cereals (10.81%), and flour products (9.27%) were the most common single foods reported. Further analysis showed that the settings and food vehicles of outbreaks caused by different pathogens were different. Conclusions: Bacterial outbreaks are the most common type of FBDOs in Zhejiang Province. By analyzing the epidemiological characteristics of common pathogenic bacteria, we can identify the etiology, food, and setting that the government needs to focus on, and issue relevant targeted policies to reduce the number of FBDOs. View Full-Text

Researchers introduce rapid diagnostic test for Listeria

Phys Org

Researchers in the University of Georgia College of Engineering are developing a new way to detect potentially deadly Listeria contamination in food.

Listeriosis, an infection caused by eating food contaminated by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, can cause severe illness in pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness, or food poisoning, in the United States. An estimated 1,600 people get sick each year and about 260 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Currently, Listeria contamination in food products is identified only through molecular tests conducted in diagnostic laboratories on samples taken at specific control points during the manufacturing and distribution process. Although very accurate, this method requires significant processing time, transportation of samples, and expensive skilled labour and equipment.

In a new study published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, UGA researchers introduce a rapid diagnostic method based on electrochemical biosensing principles. Electrochemical biosensors are promising alternatives to molecular detection methods because of their ease of use, high specificity, sensitivity and low cost, according to the researchers.

The UGA researchers use bacteriophages, viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria, as bioreceptors to identify L. monocytogenes using an electrochemical sensor.

USA – FDA Core Investigation Table Update

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Cyclospora in an unidentified food (ref # 1084) the total case count has increased from 60 to 77.
Date
Posted
Ref Pathogen or
Cause of Illness

Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses

(if any)
Total
Case Count
Status
8/3/

2022

1080 Cyclospora Not Yet Identified 6 Active
7/27/

2022

1084 Cyclospora Not Yet Identified 77 Active
6/29/

2022

1076 Not Yet Identified Frozen Food See Outbreak
Advisory
Active
6/22/

2022

1075 Salmonella
Braenderup
Not Yet Identified 74 Active
6/22/

2022

1072 Salmonella
Paratyphi B var. L(+) tartrate+
Not Identified 14 Closed
6/15/

2022

1070 Listeria
monocytogenes
Not Identified 12 Closed
6/8/

2022

1068 E. coli
O157:H7
Not Identified 10 Closed
6/1/

2022

1066 Hepatitis A Virus Strawberries See Outbreak
Advisory
Active
5/25/

2022

1067 Salmonella 
Senftenberg
Peanut Butter See Outbreak Advisory Closed
4/20/

2022

1064 Not Yet
Identified
Dry Cereal 558 adverse
event reports
Active
4/13/

2022

1057 Listeria
monocytogenes
Ice Cream See Outbreak Advisory Active
3/30/

2022

1060 None
Identified
Meal Replacement
Drink
6 adverse
event reports
Closed
3/16/

2022

1055 Salmonella
Saintpaul
Not Identified 60 Closed
2/17/

2022

1056 Cronobacter
sakazakii
Powdered
Infant
Formula
See
Advisory
Active (IMG)
2/9/

2022

1040 Listeria
monocytogenes
Not Identified 20 Closed
2/2/

2022

1054 Enteroinvasive
E. coli
O143:H26
Not
Identified
16 Closed
1/10/

2022

1050 E. coli
O121:H19
Romaine 4 Closed

Hong Kong – 18 people with suspected food poisoning after eating at Sai Kung restaurant

Hong Kong Buzz

The Centre for Health Protection has announced that it is investigating two suspected food poisoning cases involving a total of 18 people. On 30 July they all experienced abdominal pain after eating takeaway food purchased from Juyouzhan Restaurant 聚友棧, G/F, No. 1, Sai Kung Main Street, Sai Kung including curry fish balls, pork skin and fried siu mai. Symptoms included nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever, and seven people sought medical attention, with one admitted to hospital. All are now in stable condition.

One case involved four males and four females, aged between 7 and 44; another case involved six males and 5 females, aged between 5 and 71.

Japan – 14 children in Japan sent to hospital in suspected mass food poisoning

Mainichi

Fourteen members of a children’s club were taken to hospital on Aug. 9 during a visit to a swimming pool in Sammu, Chiba Prefecture, in a suspected case of mass food poisoning.

Chiba Prefectural Police’s Sammu Police Station explained that about 50 children were on the children’s club visit to Hasunuma Water Garden in the city. At least 19 members began to complain that they felt sick about an hour after they ate lunch at around noon. They had eaten rice balls that had been made that morning. The rice balls were apparently not chilled after being made, leading police to suspect food poisoning.

Italy – 17 Belgian boy scouts suffer food poisoning in Monza

ANSA

ROME, AUG 8 – Some 17 Belgian boy scouts suffered food poisoning after eating fish in a restaurant in Monza Saturday night, the Eco di Bergamo newspaper reported Monday.
The youths, aged 12 to 20, all from Antwerp, had symptoms including fainting, vomiting, dizziness and pallor, and were taken from the iconic Bergamo Alta (Upper Bergamo), where they had travelled Sunday morning, to three hospitals in the Lombardy city.
They said their symptoms had already presented on the coach from Monza to Bergamo. (ANSA).

FDA Cautions Pet Owners Not to Feed Certain Lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Due to Salmonella

FDA

Fast Facts

  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pets certain lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products raw cat food after samples from these lots tested positive for Salmonella. These foods have been associated with cases of illness in three kittens in a single household.
    • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain Free Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9116, manufactured on May 2, 2022.
    • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain Free Turkey Recipe for Cats, Lot 9121, manufactured on May 4, 2022.
  • The products are sold in white and clear plastic packages with blue and green labeling. Each pack weighs two pounds and consists of four separate units. The lot codes are on the front lower left unit of the package.
  • If you have these lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Food, or you can’t be sure of the lot code of the products you have, throw them away. Do not feed them to your pets.
  • The FDA is issuing this alert because these lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products cat food represent a serious threat to human and animal health.
  • Salmonella can affect both human and animal health. People with symptoms of Salmonella infection should consult their health care providers. Consult a veterinarian if your pet has symptoms of Salmonella infection.

Research – New Zealand – National Microbiological Database Programme

MPI

Introduction

This introduction is not part of the Animal Products Notice, but is intended to indicate its general effect.

Purpose

This notice supplements the requirements of the Animal Product Regulations 2021 and sets requirements for microbiological sampling and testing of animal material and animal products intended for human consumption.

Background

The National Microbiological Database (NMD) Programme is a standardised microbiological sampling and testing programme to provide ongoing monitoring of microbiological process control across all industry participants.

Who should read this Animal Products Notice?

You should read this notice if you are:•an operator who processes red meat or poultry intended for human consumption; or•a recognised laboratory that tests red meat or poultry intended for human consumption

Why is this important?

A failure to comply with this notice may be an offence under section 135(1)(c) of the Animal Products Act 1999 and may result in further action by an animal products officer

IAFP 2022: Persistence of Norovirus, Hepatitis A in Low-Moisture Foods

Food Safety.Com

Food Borne Illness - Norovirus -CDC Photo

Hepatitis A and Human Norovirus

Dr. Gibson introduced and gave an overview of the two most relevant enteric viruses in food safety—human Norovirus and Hepatitis A—on which Dr. Jaykus later elaborated. The viruses share several characteristics, such as being resistant to environmental degradation, having a low infectious dose, and shedding from infected individuals at high concentrations. The enteric viruses are also highly persistent on foods and are difficult to inactivate. According to Dr. Jaykus, the viruses can persist on surfaces for days to weeks at room temperature; on foods in water, the viruses can persist for weeks to months if refrigerated, and indefinitely if frozen. Although viral persistence is strong for enteric viruses, the viruses’ survivability depends on the surface, matrix, and temperatures to which they are subject.

Hepatitis A is more common in low-income countries and its common modes of transmission are ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, fresh and frozen produce, and LMFs. Hepatitis A has a public health impact of over 37,000 foodborne cases in the U.S., annually. Norovirus, which causes approximately 5.5 million cases of foodborne illness in the U.S. each year, is mainly transmitted through foods at restaurants due to contamination by infected food handlers; soft, red fruits are also associated with Norovirus due to being hand-harvested. Foods that are handled by humans during harvesting, processing, or preparation are common vehicles for Norovirus as the pathogen can remain infectious and shed from infected individuals for up to eight weeks.

In dry environments, the enteric viruses can transfer between surfaces at a rate of 5–10 percent; in moist environments, the viruses’ rate of transferability increases to over 95 percent. Hepatitis A and Norovirus have also shown to be effective at attaching and sticking to existing biofilms.

Research – Microbiological Safety and Shelf-Life of Low-Salt Meat Products—A Review

MDPI

Salt is widely employed in different foods, especially in meat products, due to its very diverse and extended functionality. However, the high intake of sodium chloride in human diet has been under consideration for the last years, because it is related to serious health problems. The meat-processing industry and research institutions are evaluating different strategies to overcome the elevated salt concentrations in products without a quality reduction. Several properties could be directly or indirectly affected by a sodium chloride decrease. Among them, microbial stability could be shifted towards pathogen growth, posing a serious public health threat. Nonetheless, the majority of the literature available focuses attention on the sensorial and technological challenges that salt reduction implies. Thereafter, the need to discuss the consequences for shelf-life and microbial safety should be considered. Hence, this review aims to merge all the available knowledge regarding salt reduction in meat products, providing an assessment on how to obtain low salt products that are sensorily accepted by the consumer, technologically feasible from the perspective of the industry, and, in particular, safe with respect to microbial stability.