News outlets are reporting that an alleged cyclospora outbreak has occurred after people ate at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, located in the Markets at Town Center near the St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida. People who belong to the Exchange Club held a banquet at that venue last month.
Millions of Americans celebrate the Fourth of July with favorite foods grilled in secret barbecue sauces and side dishes made from traditional family recipes. But nothing puts a damper on a celebration like foodborne illness.
Even when food safety rules are followed, foodborne bacteria can sometimes sneak into dishes made by hand that require no additional cooking such as potato and egg salads, cream pies, and sandwiches as well as meats. Food poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps, and mild fever.
One of the most common causes of food poisoning is the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, which produces a wide range of toxins, including staphylococcal enterotoxin type E—associated with outbreaks in the United States and other countries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans—48 million—get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases each year. Of that group, staphylococcal food poisoning causes an estimated 240,000 illnesses, 1,000 hospitalizations, and 6 deaths annually.
A USDA scientist developed a test that specifically detects Staphylococcus aureus in foods. The new test is faster, more sensitive and less expensive than standard tests.
“The current test detects active toxin only 50 percent of the time compared to the test, which detects it 99 percent of the time,” says Reuven Rasooly, a chemist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). “The new test also detects toxins within 5 hours compared to 48 to 72 hours for other tests.”
In addition, Rasooly said the new test can distinguish between active toxin, which poses a threat to public health, and inactive toxin, which does not. It can be used by food makers to help keep products safer before they’re sold and by public health officials to trace the source of foodborne outbreaks.
The test, which specifically targets Staphylococcus aureus, is not commercially available. ARS has applied for a patent for this technology and plans to use it to develop additional tests that detect other foodborne toxins that make people sick.
For food consumer resources on keeping your Fourth of July celebrations safe, visit USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service for a variety of tips.
A food worker at the Wendy’s at 165 Scenic Highway in Lawrenceville, Georgia, near Atlanta, has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Gwinnett County Health Department. That person worked there between June 13 and June 29, 2019.
Ottawa, July 9, 2019 – Fresh Taste Produce Ltd. is recalling certain 794 G (28 OZ) Eat Smart brand Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad Bag Kits from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.
| Brand Name | Common Name | Size | Code(s) on Product | UPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eat Smart | Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad Bag Kit | 794 G (28 OZ) | JUL 17 2019 2019 JL 17 2 00 183 |
7 09351 89140 3 |
Cavi papayas from Agroson’s LLC are now linked to the Salmonella Uganda outbreak that was just announced by the CDC. Now 71 people in 8 states are sick. Twenty-seven people have been hospitalized because they are so ill.
Of 45 people who have provided information to investigators, 60% have been hospitalized. This is three times the hospitalization rate in a typical Salmonella outbreak. This particular strain of Salmonella Uganda is resistant to several antibiotics, which may explain the hospitalizations.
This study was focused on determining survival and growth characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus on conventional (16.7 mg of sodium/g) and low‐sodium (10.7 mg of sodium/g) bacon. The two types of bacon were inoculated with the either L. monocytogenes or S. aureus stored at 4, 12, or 25°C for up to 7 days. Populations of L. monocytogenes and S. aureus did not change significantly on bacon stored at 4 and 12°C, regardless of sodium content. L. monocytogenes remained at 1.0–1.5 log cfu/g of conventional bacon stored at 25°C for 7 days but increased to 3.5 log cfu/g on low‐sodium bacon stored for 4 days. Within 1 and 3 days at 25°C, S. aureus increased, respectively, to 4.5 log cfu/g and 7.3 log cfu/g of low‐sodium bacon. Within 7 days at 25°C, populations increased to 8.1 log cfu/g of low‐sodium bacon and 3.7 log cfu/g of conventional bacon. This study shows that L. monocytogenes can grow on low‐sodium bacon stored at 25°C. S. aureus can grow on bacon stored at 25°C, regardless of sodium content, but the presence of 16.7 mg of sodium/g, compared to 10.7 mg/g, retards the rate of growth.
At 25°C, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus grew more rapidly on low‐sodium bacon than on conventional bacon. Low‐sodium bacons increase concern for microbiological safety.
Manatee County health officials announced Wednesday of a hepatitis A case in a food service worker at the Ugly Grouper restaurant located at 5704 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach.
The Manatee County Health Department (CHD) advises if you frequented this restaurant prior to June 22 and have not previously been vaccinated for Hepatitis A, you should consider being vaccinated at your local county health department or primary care physician’s office.
Image CDC
Iceland health officials have reported four pediatric Shiga-toxin-producing E. Coli (STEC) cases. Officials say all the children are from the capital of Reykjavik; however, all have probably been infected in Árnessýsla county or, more specifically, in Bláskógabyggð.
The source of the infection is unknown at this time. The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority and the South Iceland Health Inspectorate are now working to analyze the origin of the infections and stop further spread.
RASFF – too high count of Escherichia coli (1400 MPN/100g) in live oysters from France in France
RASFF – too high count of Escherichia coli (8900 CFU/100g) in spiny dye-murex sea snails from Italy in Spain
RASFF – too high count of Escherichia coli (330 MPN/100g) in live clams (Chamelea gallina) from Italy in Italy
