Category Archives: Food Microbiology Research

France – Cholera: the disease

Posted on April 17, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Sante Publique

Digestive toxic infection , cholera is a notifiable disease due to the ingestion of water or food contaminated by the toxigenic Vibrio cholerae bacilli of serogroups O1 and O139.

Our missions

  • Monitor the epidemiological evolution of cholera and detect cases as soon as they are suspected
  • Allow preventive measures to be adapted to prevent the spread of the disease
  • Inform the general public.

Cholera is an acute digestive toxic infection due to the ingestion of water or food contaminated by toxigenic Vibrio cholerae bacilli of serogroups O1 and O139 (cholera vibrions).

Today, collective and individual sanitation and hygiene measures have led to the disappearance of cholera in France (excluding Guyana and Mayotte, where sporadic and limited epidemics were described in the decades 1990-2000 in the two previous decades). In mainland France, cholera, which is subject to mandatory notification , is in fact a rare imported pathology. Symptomatic cases of cholera are mainly linked to the consumption of contaminated drinks or food abroad.

Early reporting of suspected and confirmed cases, and notification of confirmed cases, takes place from a single case. They enable the management of imported cholera cases as quickly as possible. Between 0 and 2 cases of cholera have been declared each year in France since 2000, they concern travelers returning from endemic areas . This is a low and decreasing number.

Although rare in France, cholera can cause severe digestive symptoms and dehydration. Even if the risks of contamination and epidemic are very limited on French territory, the epidemiological surveillance of Public Health France requires the early reporting of cases as soon as this infection is suspected in order to prevent its spread.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Research, Vibrio cholera, vibrio cholerae

UK – Waitrose points to ‘external factors’ for high Campylobacter results

Posted on April 17, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The Waitrose grocery chain blamed factors outside the control of the retailer and its supply base for poor Campylobacter in chicken results.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) maximum target level is up to 7 percent of birds with more than 1,000 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) of Campylobacter.

Waitrose and Partners reported that 7.1 percent of chickens tested positive for Campylobacter above 1,000 CFU/g from October to December 2023.

Data from the retailers covers the second half of 2023 on high findings of Campylobacter in fresh, shop-bought, UK-produced chickens.

The Sainsbury’s chain has joined retailer Tesco in stopping publishing related data.

“The safety of our products is extremely important to us and we have a range of processes in place to monitor and limit levels of Campylobacter in our fresh chicken. We have consistently achieved the FSA target for Campylobacter levels for several years, so we will no longer be formally reporting on this,” said a Sainsbury’s spokesperson.

Sainsbury’s Campylobacter results for Q2 2023 showed that 1 percent of chickens had levels above 1,000 CFU/g compared to 3 percent in Q1.

Aldi has not updated its related webpage or provided the figures when Food Safety News asked it to do so. The latest data from Q4 2022 shows that 1.7 percent of chickens had levels above 1,000 CFU/g.

Co-op reported chickens contaminated at levels greater than 1,000 CFU/g for the first time since Q3 2021. In Q3 2023, 3.5 percent were above 1,000 CFU/g; in Q4, the figure was 2.6 percent.

Lidl recorded 4 percent of birds in the highest category from July to September and above 2 percent from October to December 2023. The figures were almost 2 percent in the highest category from April to June and 4 percent from January to March.

Marks and Spencer had 1 percent of samples in the top threshold in July, none in August, and 4 percent in September from 376 samples. The retailer also had 3 percent above 1,000 CFU/g in October, none in November, and 3.85 percent in December.

Marks and Spencer had no samples at the highest level from April to June. It also had none above 1,000 CFU/g in January and 1 percent each in February and March 2023 from 376 samples.

Asda reported that 2.42 percent of samples were above 1,000 CFU/g in the third quarter of 2023 and 3.33 percent in the fourth quarter. This compares to 3.6 percent in the first quarter and 3.5 percent in the second quarter.

Morrisons had no chickens contaminated above 1,000 CFU/g for both quarters, compared to 2.3 percent from April to June and 2.4 percent from January to March 2023.

Read in full at the link above.

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Posted in Campylobacter, campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni, Food Microbiology Research, Research, Retailer Campylobacter Survey

EU – Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods – update of safety criteria –

Posted on April 16, 2024 by | 1 comment

EC Europa

About this initiative

Summary

This initiative aims to align EU rules with international ‘Codex alimentarius’ standards on the acceptable level of contamination by Listeria monocytogenes of certain categories of ready-to eat food sold on the EU market.

The main objective is to protect consumers’ health while facilitating official controls carried out by the competent authorities in EU countries.

Topic
Food safety
Type of act
Regulation
Committee
C20402 

Draft act

FEEDBACK: OPEN
Feedback period
10 April 2024 – 08 May 2024  (midnight Brussels time)

The Commission would like to hear your views.

This draft act is open for feedback for 4 weeks. Feedback will be taken into account for finalising this initiative. Feedback received will be published on this site and therefore must adhere to the feedback rules.

In order to contribute you’ll need to register or login using your existing social media account.

Give feedback

Draft regulation – Ares(2024)2627325
English
(362.3 KB – PDF – 3 pages)

Download  

Annex – Ares(2024)2627325
English
(314.1 KB – PDF – 3 pages)

Download  

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Posted in EU2073, Food Microbiology Research, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Research

Italy – Local salami with garlic – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 15, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Salute

Brand : Salumificio Flli Scapocchin SRL

Name : Local salami with garlic

Reason for reporting : Recall due to microbiological risk

Publication date : 13 April 2024

Documentation

Documentation

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes

Research – Officials confirm planned closure of Quaker Oats plant behind recall of dozens of products – Salmonella

Posted on April 14, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The mayor of an Illinois city has confirmed that PepsiCo will close a Quaker Oats plant that was temporarily shuttered during a recall of granola products in December 2023.

Mayor Ricky Williams Jr. said the plant will close on June 8, according to a Facebook post by the city of Danville, IL. Production at the plant included more than 60 products recalled in December 2023 and January 2024 because of Salmonella contamination.

The company confirmed the closure news on April 3. The company is shifting production of products made at the plant to other facilities.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Research, Salmonella

Research – Detection of Extended Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli with Biofilm Formation from Chicken Meat in Istanbul

Posted on April 14, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major public health problems worldwide. This study aimed to detect the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-(ESBL-)producing Escherichia (E.) coli in chicken meat in Istanbul, Türkiye. Raw chicken meat samples (n = 208) were collected from different sale points and analyzed for ESBL-producing E. coli. In total, 101 (48.5%) isolates were confirmed as E. coli by PCR, of which 80/101 (79.2%) demonstrated multiple antibiotic resistance. Resistance against amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was most frequent (87.1%). Eighteen isolates (17.8%) demonstrated phenotypical ESBL resistance, as assessed by the double disc synergy test (DDST). Isolates were tested for the presence of β-lactamase genes and mobilized colistin-resistant genes. The blaTEM group was most frequently detected (97.02%), followed by blaCTX m (45.5%), blaSHV (9.9%), and blaOXA-2 (0.9%). However, mcr genes and blaNDM, blaKPC, blaVIM, and blaOXA-48 genes were not found in any isolate. E. coli strains were tested for biofilm formation in six different media [Nutrient broth, LB broth, Tryptone Soya broth (TSB), TSB containing 1% sucrose, TSB containing 0.6% yeast extract, and BHI]. Biofilm formation by E. coli isolates (44/101, 43.5%) was highest in TSB with 1% sucrose. It is worth noting that all biofilm-producing isolates were found to harbor the blaTEM-1 gene, which can indicate a high level of antibiotic resistance. This is the first report about ESBL-producing E. coli in poultry meat, the exposure of consumers in Istanbul metropolitan areas, and the ability of E. coli from this region to produce biofilms.

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Posted in Biofilm, E.coli, ESBL, Extended Spectrum B Lactamase, Food Microbiology Research, Research

Research – Food scientists develop framework to improve food quality and still kill pathogens

Posted on April 13, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Phys Org

Food processors often use heat for pasteurization or sterilization to make food products safe by killing pathogens like salmonella and listeria, but high temperatures can degrade food quality. To ensure food safety, the industry sometimes relies on overly stringent standards that unnecessarily reduce , said Jennifer Acuff, assistant professor of food microbiology and safety for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Focusing on low-moisture food products like powdered milk, Acuff and her team performed a study seeking a method that guarantees food safety while retaining the most vitamins, minerals and flavor depending on the food.

“This  encompassed microbiology, engineering, and statistics to provide the food industry with what we believe will be a tool to improve safety without compromising quality of their dried ,” Acuff said.

The process is not limited to low-moisture foods and may extend to other foods and processes, Acuff added.

Using data from a study on a harmless “surrogate” microorganism and a  called “bootstrapping,” the researchers developed a framework to provide food processors options within U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Safety, Food Safety Management, Research

Research – Concentration of foodborne viruses eluted from fresh and frozen produce: Applicability of ultrafiltration

Posted on April 13, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

Abstract

Foodborne illnesses involving raw and minimally processed foods are often caused by human noroviruses (HuNoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV). Since food is contaminated usually with small numbers of virions, these must be eluted from the food surface and then concentrated for detection. The objective of this study was to optimize an ultrafiltration (UF) concentration method for HAV and HuNoVs present on various fresh and frozen produce. The detection range of the optimized method and its applicability to different food matrices was compared to the reference method ISO 15216-1:2017. Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, lettuce, and green onion (25 g) were contaminated with HAV, HuNoV GI.7 and HuNoV GII.4 and then recovered therefrom by elution. A commercial benchtop UF device was used for the concentration step. Viral RNA was extracted and detected by RT-qPCR. From fresh strawberries, recovery of HAV loaded at 104 genome copies per sample was 30 ± 13 %, elution time had no significant impact, and UF membrane with an 80–100 kDa cut-off in combination with Tris-glycine elution buffer at pH 9.5 was found optimal. At lower copy numbers on fresh strawberry, at least 1 log lower numbers of HuNoV were detectable by the UF method (103 vs 104 GII.4 copies/sample and 101 vs 103 GI.7 copies/sample), while HAV was detected at 101 genome copies/sample by both methods. Except on raspberry, the UF method was usually equivalent to the ISO method regardless of the virus tested. The UF method makes rapid viral concentration possible, while supporting the filtration of large volume of sample. With fewer steps and shorter analysis time than the ISO method, this method could be suitable for routine analysis of viruses throughout the food production and surveillance chain.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Norovirus, Research, Virus

Research – Preliminary Investigation towards the Use of Infrared Technology for Raw Milk Treatment

Posted on April 13, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Infrared (IR) technology offers a promising solution for reducing microbiological loads in various food types while preserving their quality traits, such as flavour. However, research on IR’s application in complex matrices is limited. Therefore, our preliminary study aimed to evaluate its effectiveness in sanitizing bovine raw milk. We assessed the bacterial count before and after IR treatment by comparing volatile organic compound profiles via headspace extraction and GC/MS analysis. Our findings showed that higher energy levels led to a greater bacterial reduction. IR85 was the most effective in reducing Coliforms and Enterobacteriaceae in non-homogenised samples, with a reduction ranging from −1.01 to >−2.99 and from −1.66 to −3.09 Log CFU/mL, respectively. IR60 and 70 showed no efficacy, while IR80 had intermediate but still satisfactory effect. IR85 notably affected volatile compounds, particularly increasing hexanal (from 0.08 to 4.21 ng g−1) and dimethyl sulphone (from 10.76 to 26.40 ng g−1), while IR80 better preserved the aroma profile. As a result, only IR80 was tested with homogenised raw milk, demonstrating significant bacterial reduction (from >2.39 to 3.06 Log CFU/mL for Coliforms and from 1.90 to >2.45 Log CFU/mL for Enterobacteriaceae) and maintaining the aroma profile quality.

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Posted in Coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Food Microbiology Research, Raw Milk, Raw Milk Butter, raw milk cheese, Raw Milk Cream, Raw Milk Goats Cheese, Research

EU proposes change to Listeria in RTE food rules

Posted on April 12, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The European Commission has published long-awaited plans to update the rules around Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.

The draft regulation removes a section about the absence of Listeria in 25-grams before food has left the immediate control of the food business operator who has produced it.

It now states that Listeria monocytogenes not detected in 25-grams should apply to all situations where foods are placed on the market during their shelf-life and for which the producing food business has not been able to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the relevant authority, that the level of Listeria will not exceed the limit of 100 colony forming units per gram (CFU/g) throughout their shelf-life.

Comment period
To allow food businesses time to adapt their practices and procedures to the new requirement, the earliest the regulation will become applicable is January 2026. Comments on the proposals are open until May 8, 2024.

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Posted in EU2073, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk