Category Archives: Food Microbiology Testing

Research – Another drop in outbreaks was recorded in Germany for 2021

Food Safety News

The amount of foodborne outbreaks reported in Germany has continued to fall, according to the latest figures.

In 2021, the Robert Koch-Institut (RKI) and Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) received slightly fewer reports of outbreaks with 168 compared to 193 in the previous year.

At least 1,179 cases, 196 hospitalizations, and two deaths were related to them in 2021. As in previous years, the top causes were Campylobacter and Salmonella.

Other agents involved in outbreaks were norovirus, Bacillus cereus, hepatitis A virus, Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Clostridium botulinum, Cronobacter sakazakii, histamine, Shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus. In seven outbreaks with 73 cases, the pathogen remained unknown.

Nineteen of the 22 outbreaks with more than five patients were caused by Salmonella.

Austria sees a rise in reports of E. coli in 2021

Food Safety News

Austria recorded an increase in the number of reported E. coli infections in 2021, based on the latest data.

In 2021, 1,437 specimens were processed at the National Reference Centre for E. coli. Overall, 1,286 human samples, 79 food, and 35 pet food samples were analyzed.

A total of 476 human stool samples tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Of these, 310 isolates were confirmed as Shiga toxin-producing compared to 242 in 2020.

In 2021, only 34 were E. coli O157 with the rest non-O157. Among the latter, there were 25 O26, 26 O103, three O111, and 12 O145 isolates. In the Austrian Epidemiological Notification System (EMS), 384 cases were reported, up from 304 in 2020.

In Upper Austria, 53 cases were reported to the EMS in 2020 compared to 104 in 2021. This same state sent 123 human samples to the National Reference Centre in 2020 versus 566 in 2021.

Research – How Many Outbreaks Are Linked to Fast Food Restaurants?

Food Poisoning Bulletin

In the past ten years, there have been many food poisoning outbreaks linked to fast food restaurants. The outbreaks slowed significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic, however. This year, there was only one fast food outbreak that was allegedly associated with Wendy’s restaurants in several states that may have been caused by romaine lettuce. These outbreaks can be very large simply because there are so many restaurants in these fast food chains.

Now that people are no longer staying at home, and are eating out more, will there be more food poisoning outbreaks linked to fast food restaurants? Only time will tell.

Read more at the link above,

New Zealand – Hepatitis A: Two more cases detected in imported frozen berry outbreak

Stuff

Two additional cases of hepatitis A have been detected in the past week, linked to the recent imported frozen berry outbreak.

This brings the number of confirmed locally acquired cases linked to the outbreak to 23 in total, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday afternoon.

Of these, 11 (48%) have required hospital care.

As of Thursday, 17 cases have an identical sequence profile, indicating they likely came from the same source. Sequencing of the remaining six cases is pending.

Italy seizes 14 tons of food due to Listeria poisoning

PLEnglish

Rome, Nov 2 (Prensa Latina) The Italian Ministry of Health and the Health Group of the Carabinieri Armed Forces (NAS) seized 14 tons of food after inspecting 1,095 companies regarding listeria poisoning cases, a spokesman reported on Wednesday.

A health spokesman said Wednesday in a statement that this measure was rolled out following some people were reported as listeria poisoned after consuming raw or undercooked food.

As a result of a sanitary control, it was also decided to close or suspend 23 production and commercial companies, whose economic value amounts to more than seven million euros, the source said.

48 children hospitalized over food poisoning in Myanmar’s Yangon

English News

YANGON, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) — At least 48 children were hospitalized here in Yangon, Myanmar on Wednesday over suspected food poisoning, according to local rescue organizations.

“The children had symptoms such as fever, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting,” Nyunt Soe, a rescue worker from Shwe Yaung Twe Latt rescue organization, told Xinhua.

Those affected included 17 children from a primary school in Thaketa township in Yangon, he said.

Some children said they developed the symptoms after having fried vermicelli, he said, adding that they were taken to hospitals by ambulances immediately.

Most of the affected children turned better in the evening, but six were still under intensive care at Yankin Children’s Hospital, said Ba Ba Gyi, another rescue official

Ireland – Wexford boil water notice impacting over 25,000 people could remain until middle of next week – Giardia

Independant

A boil water notice impacting over 25,000 people on the Wexford town public water supply could remain in place until the middle of next week.

Wexford County Council and Irish Water made the decision to implement the boil water notice with immediate effect on Wednesday evening, after samples taken from the Newtown Road Treatment Plant in town showed a detection of Giardia.

An emergency consultation with the HSE followed and the local authority took the decision to implement a boil water notice for an area covering the vast majority of Wexford town and right out as far as Taghmon.

The authorities say that they took the action “to protect the health of consumers” across Wexford. The consumption of water containing Giardia can cause diarrhoea, extreme abdominal cramps and gas. It is unclear if there’s been any official reports of people ill as a result of consuming the water, however, a few posted on social media complaining of these types of symptoms.

Romania – Punga spinach – Hepatitis A

ANSVSA

SNAPNAC PUNGA 500g, supplier KREPSIS AVANTAJ SRL, lot ROMANIA 845 has been withdrawn from the market and recalled from the customer as a result of contamination of the product with the hepatitis A virus. It is recommended that people who own the product described above do not consume it , but to destroy it or return it to the store, receiving in exchange its value. We apologize for the inconveniences created!
SNAPNAC PUNGA 500g, supplier KREPSIS AVANTAJ SRL, lot ROMANIA 845 has been withdrawn from the market and recalled from the customer as a result of contamination of the product with the hepatitis A virus. 
It is recommended that people who own the product described above do not consume it , but to destroy it or return it to the store, receiving in exchange its value. We apologize for the inconveniences created!

USA- Kalera Voluntarily Recalls Fresh Lettuce Products Because of Possible Health Risk – Salmonella

FDA

Label Image – kalera, butter lettuce, with coding

Label Image – kalera, krunch lettuce, with coding

ORLANDO, Fla., November 3, 2022 (FOR DISTRIBUTION) – Kalera Public Limited Company (“Kalera” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: KAL), is voluntarily recalling 633 cases of Krunch, Butter and Romaine whole head variety lettuce with lot codes 001293 and 001294 on the label and sold under the Kalera brand because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Distribution was limited to a small number of retail and foodservice customers in Florida. The Company has notified these customers and is working with them to ensure consumers do not receive any of the products affected by the recall.

Kalera’s food safety testing procedures indicated the potential presence of Salmonella in some of its whole head lettuce SKUs.  The Company promptly reported this issue to the FDA, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no illnesses have occurred or been reported to date.

Only those products that are named in this announcement, produced in the Orlando farm and sold in the state of Florida are being recalled. No other Kalera products are affected by the recall.

In the event consumers have the recalled products in their refrigerators, they should be discarded and not consumed. To obtain a refund or for more information, consumers may contact the company at (407) 574-8204 M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Media representatives should contact Aric Nissen, company spokesperson, aric.nissen@kalera.com.


Company Contact Information

Consumers:
 (407) 574-8204
Media:
Aric Nissen
 aric.nissen@kalera.com

Denmark – Mould/Mold formation in chili mayonnaise

DVFA

Alma By G. ApS is recalling Salling Princip Chili Mayo, as mold has been found in some of the jars.

Recalled Foods , Published: November 3, 2022

​​​​​​​​Which food:
Salling Principle Chili Mayo
Best before date: 20-09-2023
Net weight: 175 g
Batch No. 2208314
Sold in:
Bilka and Føtex stores
Company that revokes:
Alma By G. ApS, Industrivej 6F, 8660 Skanderborg ​
Cause:
The company has established that there is a risk of mold in the product.
Risk:
Mold formation makes the product unsuitable as food. 
Advice for consumers:
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration advises consumers to return the product to the store where it was purchased or to discard it.