Category Archives: Food Microbiology Research

Research – Pet ownership and pet type and their implications for food safety in the home: Evidence from a national survey

Posted on May 11, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Journal of Food Protection

Physical contact between humans and their pets increases the potential for zoonotic disease transmission. This study used the 2016 FDA Food Safety Survey to compare the food handling behaviors of pet owners and non-pet owners, since poor food handling and hygiene habits can increase the likelihood of disease transmission from animals to humans. Results show that both pet ownership and pet type were important in predicting food safety behaviors. After controlling for sociodemographic factors included in this study (gender, age, household income, household size, and race/ethnicity), pet ownership was significantly associated with overall food safety practices, and more specifically with better handwashing behaviors, kitchen cleaning, and ownership and use of a food thermometer, as well as a greater awareness of foodborne pathogens. Cat owners and cat/dog owners had better overall food safety practices and better handwashing compared to dog owners. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, there were no significant associations between pet ownership and perception of risks associated with unsafe food handling practices.

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

Research – Study reveals foodborne illness burden in Taiwan

Posted on May 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

One in six Taiwanese people suffered from foodborne illness annually during a four year period studied by researchers.

From 2012 to 2015, almost 3.9 million foodborne illnesses and 50 deaths occurred annually in the country.

Scientists said the study, published in the Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, provided the first national estimates on the disease burden from foodborne illnesses in Taiwan.

Among just more than half of foodborne illnesses cases with identifiable causal microorganisms, non-typhoid Salmonella, norovirus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were leading pathogens.

Foodborne illnesses caused a substantial financial disease burden, with a medical cost up to NT $1.3 billion (U.S. $43,400) annually.

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Posted in food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Norovirus, Salmonella, Uncategorized, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Research – Poland, poultry and Salmonella

Posted on May 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Poultry Med

A series of reports from RASFF (the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed):
-Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium (present /25g) in chilled turkey meat from Poland in Poland (Notification date: 30/4/2020)
-Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken breasts from Poland in Slovakia (28/4/2020)
-Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken quarters from Poland in Slovakia (24/4/2020)
-Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken legs from Poland in Lithuania (24/4/2020)
-Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (in 2 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled chicken wings from Poland in Lithuania (24/4/2020)
-Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken quarters from Poland in Lithuania (24/4/2020)
-Salmonella enterica ser. Newport (3 out of 5 samples /50g) in frozen chicken breast fillets from Poland in Romania (24/4/2020)

Is this the quality of Europe’s largest poultry producer?

I have to agree most of the products are being sold to other eastern European countries although Italy was included in this weeks alerts.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Research, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, Uncategorized

Research – Enhanced elimination of Salmonella Typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni on chicken skin by sequential exposure to ultrasound and peroxyacetic acid

Posted on May 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

The present study investigated the effects of combined ultrasound (37 kHz, 380 W for 5 min) and peroxyacetic acid (PAA; 50–200 ppm) treatment on the reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni on chicken skin. Ultrasound was not sufficient to inactivate S. Typhimurium (0.48 log CFU/g reduction) or C. jejuni (0.25 log CFU/g reduction), whereas PAA significantly (p < .05) reduced S. Typhimurium (0.93–1.59 log CFU/g reduction) and C. jejuni (0.77–1.52 log CFU/g reduction). However, maximum reductions of 2.21 and 2.08 log CFU/g were observed for S. Typhimurium and C. jejuni, respectively, for combined treatment with 5 min of ultrasound and 200 ppm PAA. Our results indicate that a combination of ultrasound treatment for 5 min and 200 ppm PAA was more effective in reducing S. Typhimurium and C. jejuni compared to the individual treatments, without significantly affecting the color or texture of the chicken skin, thus, demonstrating its potential to increase the microbial safety during poultry processing.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Technology, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Salmonella, Technology, Uncategorized

Research -The impacts of tomato residuum extract with Arabic gum and dill essential oil on the shelf life improvement of trout fillets stored at chilly condition

Posted on May 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tomato residuum extract (TRE) dipping and Arabic gum (AG) coating enriched with dill essential oil (DEO) on the shelf life extension of refrigerated trout fillets. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the main constituents of DEO were alpha‐phellandrene (30.17%), limonene (28.31%), and carvone (21.31%). Antioxidant activities of acetone, ethanol, methanol, cold, and hot water extracts of tomato residuum were examined using reducing power and 2,2‐azinobis‐3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid assays in maceration, ultrasound, and combined ultrasound and maceration extraction methods. The strongest antioxidant activities were found in the ultrasound‐assisted extraction with ethanol 50%. Thiobarbituric acid, total volatile basic nitrogen, and peroxide values indicated that TRE 3%–AG–DEO 2% and TRE 6%–AG–DEO 2% treatments could significantly (p ≤ .05) extend the shelf life of the fillets. Also, sensory evaluation showed that TRE along with DEO had significant (p ≤ .05) pleasant effects on the sensory characteristics of the fillets. It was concluded that TRE dipping along with AG coating containing DEO could be a suitable alternative for the synthetic preservative in the refrigerated trout fillets.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Technology, Uncategorized

Research – Protective shield: How pathogens withstand acidic environments in the body

Posted on May 9, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily

Certain bacteria, including the dangerous nosocomial pathogen MRSA, can protect themselves from acidic conditions in our body and thus ensure their survival. Researchers at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel have now elucidated an important mechanism in this process. A transport protein involved in cell wall biosynthesis plays a key role, they report in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

Each year, thousands of patients in Swiss hospitals become infected with dangerous pathogens that can hardly be controlled with antibiotics. The methicillin-resistant bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA for short, is particularly feared among the multi-resistant nosocomial germs. It can cause severe wound, respiratory and urinary tract infections and life-threatening sepsis. This is aggravated by the fact that MRSA causes chronic infections.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, MRSA, Research, Staphylococcus aureus, Uncategorized

Research – 166 sick: Over half under 5 from Salmonella in pet bearded dragons

Posted on May 9, 2020 by | Leave a comment

barf Blog 

We investigated an outbreak of human Salmonella infections resulting from serotypes Cotham and Kisarawe, predominately occurring among children. An outbreak of illnesses was identified in persons with exposure to pet bearded dragon lizards. Human and animal health officials, in cooperation with the pet industry, conducted epidemiologic, traceback and laboratory investigations. Onsite sampling was conducted at two US breeding facilities, one foreign breeding facility, and a large pet retail chain. A total of 166 patients in 36 states were identified with illness onset dates from 02/2012-06/2014. The median patient age was 3 years (range, <1-79 years), 57% were aged ≤5 years, and 37% were aged ≤1 year. Forty-four patients (37%) were hospitalized, predominantly children. Sampling at breeding facilities and a national pet store chain resulted in isolation of outbreak serotypes at each facility; isolation proportions ranged from 2%-24% of samples collected at each facility.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research – Tips For Handling Flour Safely to Avoid Food Poisoning

Posted on May 6, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

kswfoodworld E.coli O157

Image CDC

 

When an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in 2009 was linked to the flour used in prepackaged cookie dough, many people were shocked. How could flour, which seems so innocuous, actually be contaminated with such a serious pathogen? Flour is dry. It seems inert and safe. But flour is a raw agricultural product, and can be contaminated with pathogens just like romaine lettuce. Learn some tips for handling flour safely to avoid food poisoning.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Safety, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

Europe – Large E. coli increase recorded for Europe in 2018

Posted on May 6, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection rate in Europe jumped by 40 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year, based on data from ECDC’s annual surveillance report.

After a stable period from 2014 to 2017, the rate increased by 41 percent in 2018. This made STEC the third most common zoonosis in Europe after Campylobacter and Salmonella.

A contributing factor may be the shift from culture to culture-independent diagnostic methods, with PCR more commonly used to diagnose cases, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

STEC infection is mainly acquired through eating contaminated food and contact with animals and/or their feces. Adequate cooking of food, particularly beef, and use of pasteurized milk may reduce the risk of foodborne infections, added the agency.

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Posted in E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Shigatoxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

Research – Common ways to cook chicken at home may not ensure safety from pathogens

Posted on May 4, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily

For home cooks, widespread techniques for judging doneness of chicken may not ensure that pathogens are reduced to safe levels. Solveig Langsrud of the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on April 29, 2020.

Chicken can harbor the bacterial pathogens Salmonella and Campylobacter. High temperatures can kill these microbes, but enough may survive to cause illness if meat is undercooked. Recommendations for monitoring doneness vary widely, and the prevalence and safety of methods commonly used by home cooks have been unclear.

To help clarify consumers’ chicken cooking practices, Lansgrud and colleagues surveyed 3,969 private households across five European countries (France, Norway, Portugal, Romania, and the U.K.) on their personal chicken cooking practices. They also interviewed and observed chicken cooking practices in 75 additional households in the same countries.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Food Microbiology Research, Research, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, Uncategorized