Category Archives: Food Microbiology Testing

Czech Republic – Sausages – Mold/Mould

Potravinynapranyri

Illustrative photo #1

Place of inspection:
Staříč ( Sviadnovská 76, 739 43 Staříč )
ID: 02453533
Invalid parameter:

fungi visible to the eye
scent

The food smelled strongly of spoilage and there were colonies of mold on its surface.

Food is not considered safe if it shows signs of spoilage. 

The food had an expired use-by date.

Batch: 3250704002
Expiration date: 27/02/2023
Packaging: food foil
Quantity of the product in the package: 0.69 kg
Date of sample collection: 28/02/2023
Reference number: 23-000101-SZPI-CZ
The sample was detected by the official control of the State Agricultural and Food Inspection.

Czech Republic – Landana jalapeno – Mold/Mould

Potravinynapranyri

Illustrative photo #1

Place of inspection:
Frýdek-Místek ( Příborská 2270, 738 01 Frýdek-Místek )
ID: 28643500
Food group: Milk and milk products Cheese

Landana jalapeno
Category: Dangerous foods
Invalid parameter:

fungi visible to the eye
scent

The presence of mold was detected on the surface of the product. The food smelled strongly of spoilage.

Food is not considered safe if it shows signs of spoilage.

Unsuitable storage temperatures of this product were not detected during the inspection. The food did not have an expired minimum durability date.

Batch: DMT 27.3.2023
Best before date: DMT 27.3.2023
Packaging: wax
Quantity of the product in the package: 4.535 kg
Importer: Boutique Gurmán s.r.o., Dobratice 283
Country of origin:  Netherlands
Date of sample collection: 27/01/2023
Reference number: 23-000113-SZPI-CZ
The sample was detected by the official control of the State Agricultural and Food Inspection.

Vietnam – 73 Hanoi students hospitalised for food poisoning after field trip

VN Express

A total 73 students at Kim Giang Elementary School in Hanoi developed signs of food poisoning after having lunch prepared by the school’s canteen for a field trip.

The school in Thanh Xuan District organized the field trip to Canh Buom Xanh Park in Gia Lam District for 915 first and second graders on Tuesday morning.

For lunch, the school had the canteen prepare food, including fried rice, fried chicken, fries, sour soup and cookies, and send them along to the park.

The children had lunch at 11 a.m. and during the trip, they also had their own snacks and drinks prepared by their families aside from drinking bottled water provided by the park.

Around 2 p.m. on Tuesday when they returned to school, several students started to have abdominal pain and vomit while two suffered diarrheas.

The Food Safety Department of Hanoi have taken samples of the food served at the student’s lunch and samples of their vomit, as well as of the foods at the park, and sent them to the National Institute of Food Safety for testing.

The school’s canteen has been now suspended.

Research – A foodborne outbreak of Campylobacteriosis at a wedding – Melbourne, Australia, 2022

1 Health

Abstract

Campylobacter is the most common bacterial cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in Australia; how-ever, outbreaks caused by the pathogen are relatively uncommon. In March 2022, the Victorian Department of Health was notified of a gastrointestinal illness in 20 guests following attendance at a wedding reception.

Two of these individuals were notified with laboratory-confirmed campylobacteriosis, and an investigation was undertaken to identify the source of the infection and implement strategies to prevent further illness. A case-control study was conducted to determine the likely source of infection. Cases were defined as attendees of the wedding reception, with onset of diarrhoea and/or abdominal cramping 1–10 days after attending the function. Controls were randomly selected from the remaining list of non-ill guests. Cases and controls were interviewed using a standardised, menu-based questionnaire.

Food preparation processes were documented, and food samples collected.

A total of 29 wedding guests met the case definition. Cases reported onset of illness 2–5 days fol-lowing the wedding and major symptoms included abdominal cramping (100%), diarrhoea (90%), headache (79%), and fever (62%). Two cases were hospitalised, one with ongoing secondary neu-rological sequelae.

Illness was significantly associated with consumption of a duck breast brioche canapé containing duck liver parfait (odds ratio = 2.85; 95% confidence interval: 1.03–7.86). No leftover food samples were available for testing.The investigation found that the duck canapé was the likely vehicle of infection. Consistent with the literature on Campylobacter transmission, it is likely that inadequate cooking of the duck liver for the parfait was the contributing factor that led to illness. This highlights the risks posed by undercooked poultry dishes, and shows that education of food handlers remains a priority.

Research – Cronobacter sakazakii Infections in Two Infants Linked to Powdered Infant Formula and Breast Pump Equipment — United States, 2021 and 2022

CDC

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Infections caused by Cronobacter sakazakii are rare but can cause severe illness and death in infants.

What is added by this report?

Whole genome sequencing analysis was used to link one case of Cronobacter sakazakii infection in a full-term infant to an opened can of powdered infant formula, and another unrelated fatal case in a premature infant to contaminated breast pump equipment.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Increased awareness of the widespread presence of Cronobacter in the environment, along with promotion of safe preparation and storage of powdered infant formula, and careful cleaning and sanitization of breast pump equipment, could prevent potentially devastating infections.

Cronobacter sakazakii, a species of gram-negative bacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, is known to cause severe and often fatal meningitis and sepsis in young infants. C. sakazakii is ubiquitous in the environment, and most reported infant cases have been attributed to contaminated powdered infant formula (powdered formula) or breast milk that was expressed using contaminated breast pump equipment (13). Previous investigations of cases and outbreaks have identified C. sakazakii in opened powdered formula, breast pump parts, environmental surfaces in the home, and, rarely, in unopened powdered formula and formula manufacturing facilities (2,46). This report describes two infants with C. sakazakii meningitis reported to CDC in September 2021 and February 2022. CDC used whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis to link one case to contaminated opened powdered formula from the patient’s home and the other to contaminated breast pump equipment. These cases highlight the importance of expanding awareness about C. sakazakii infections in infants, safe preparation and storage of powdered formula, proper cleaning and sanitizing of breast pump equipment, and using WGS as a tool for C. sakazakii investigations.

UK reveals more sick in multi-country Salmonella outbreak

Food Safety News

The number of patients in a Salmonella outbreak in the United Kingdom has increased to more than 130.

It was previously reported that 81 people were sick in the UK as part of a multi-country Salmonella Mbandaka outbreak. As of early March, there are 132 UK cases, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Whole genome sequencing confirmed a microbiological link between ready-to-cook chicken breast manufactured in Ukraine, and cases in Finland, Estonia, and the UK. The chicken was supplied to the UK from Ukraine via the Netherlands, and a company in the Netherlands has recalled products sent to the UK. All items were for food service use and have been withdrawn from the UK market.

In May 2022, the UK reported 31 Salmonella Mbandaka cases with 25 from England and three each in Scotland and Wales with sample dates between Sept. 2021 and April 2022. Four were admitted to the hospital and one person died.

As of late 2022, Finland had 89 cases while a few patients also lived in the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Israel. Cases occurred in all age groups.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken products or fresh chicken meat, such as those used in sandwiches and wraps, were said to be the likely vehicles of infection, according to an assessment by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Finnish officials linked the suspected RTE products to an Estonian company, which received processed chicken meat from different suppliers.

ECDC said epidemiological data and microbiological evidence from whole genome sequencing of human isolates indicated there were several sources through different distribution chains.

Denmark – Aflatoxin in popcorn corn

DVFA

Biogan A/S is recalling organic popcorn corn, as an excessively high content of the fungal toxin aflatoxin has been found in the product. The product should be returned to the store where it was purchased or discarded.

Recalled foods , Published: March 28, 2023

​​Which food:

Biogan organic popcorn corn ( See picture of the product here )
Net content : 500g
Best before date: 01.10.2024

Sold in: Grocery and health food stores throughout the country and on webshops.
Why:
An excessively high content of the fungal poison aflatoxin was found in the product. A health risk cannot therefore be ruled out if you eat the product. It is important not to have too high aflatoxin content over a long period of time. So it is not the individual meal that is decisive, but rather intake over a longer period of time. Therefore, you will not experience acute symptoms if you have eaten the product.

Read more about aflatoxin here

What should you do as a consumer:
​​ The Danish Food and Drug Administration advises consumers to return the product to the store where it was purchased, or to discard it.

Who is recalling the product:
Biogan A/S
Møgelbakken 3-5
8520 Lystrup

Italy – 400 GR CAMPAGNOLO SALAMI – Listeria monocytogenes

Salute

Brand : GABBA SALUMI

Name : 400 GR CAMPAGNOLO SALAMI

Reason for reporting : Remind for microbiological risk

Date of publication : 29 March 2023

Documentation

Documentation

France – MACKEREL FILLET – Histamine

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Fishery and aquaculture products
  • Product brand name AUCHAN THE FISHMONGER
  • Model names or references MACKEREL FILLET AUCHAN LE POISSONNIER 200G
  • Identification of products
    GTIN Batch Date
    3254567940881 643/074 & 643/075 & 643/076 Use-by date between 03/15/2023 and 03/23/2023
  • Products List Reminder_poster.pdfAttachment
  • Packaging PACKED IN TRAYS UNDER MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE
  • Marketing start/end date From 03/15/2023 to 03/23/2023
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Health mark FR 62 160 172 EC
  • Geographic area of ​​sale Whole France
  • Distributors AUCHAN

Practical information regarding the recall

  • Reason for recall PRESENCE OF HISTAMINE
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Endogenous toxins: histamine (fish, cheese, alcoholic beverages, meats)

Italy – Equine Sfilaccio – Listeria monocytogenes

Salute

Trademark : anonymous legal wording only

Name : Equine Sfilaccio

Reason for reporting : Remind for microbiological risk

Date of publication : 28 March 2023

Documentation

Documentation