The police team probing the death of a 33-year-old woman due to food poisoning from a restaurant in Kottayam on Wednesday arrested two more persons from Malappuram in connection with the case.
Posted in Death, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death
Italian researchers have looked at botulism trends over two decades including a large outbreak in 2020.
Italy has one of the highest botulism rates in Europe with one factor being a strong home canning tradition in the country. From 1986 to September 2022, 406 botulism incidents involving 599 people were laboratory confirmed.
The study described the surveillance system as well as information on botulism cases reported by local health services and those from hospital discharge forms from 2001 to 2020.
Botulism is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food. However, they can start as soon as six hours after or as long as 10 days later.
Symptoms can include general weakness, dizziness, double-vision, and trouble speaking or swallowing. It paralyzes respiratory muscles so most patients must be placed on life support. Difficulty breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distention and constipation may also occur. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.
Posted in botulism, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning
The Food Safety Department of Kerala government has conducted an inspection in 429 establishments across the state and shut down 43 hotels following the death of a woman in a suspected food poisoning incident at a religious event.
The inspections on Tuesday came in the backdrop of the death of a young woman in Kottayam after allegedly having food from a hotel.
The state health ministry said that among the 43 establishments, 21 were found out to be without a licence.
Apart from this, 22 establishments which were lacking cleanness have also been suspended from carrying on with their business.
Notices were issued to 138 institutions and 44 food samples have been sent for testing.
The ministry also stated that inspections would be continued intensively across the state.
On Sunday, Kerala Health Minister Veena George ordered the probe into a suspected food poisoning incident in which over 100 people fell ill. The incident occurred in the Keezvaipur area of the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.
The affected people have been admitted to various hospitals in the district where they are currently undergoing treatment.
Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning
Measures taken by Estonian authorities following a Listeria outbreak have improved the fish control system, according to the European Commission.
A remote DG Sante audit, in October 2020, looked at checks to ensure smoked fish meets microbiological food safety criteria, as well as measures taken by authorities in non-compliances.
Eight Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reports for Listeria monocytogenes in smoked fishery products from Estonia have been issued since 2015. All but one concerned the same establishment.
A multi-country outbreak of 22 listeriosis cases linked to cold-smoked salmon and trout pointed toward M.V Wool, an Estonian processing company as the manufacturer of these fish products. This was based on traceability information and a match between the outbreak strain and samples on the processing line and in four batches of the final product. Five countries were affected from 2014 to 2019 and five people died.
Posted in Death, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that each year in the United States, 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases.
Illingworth is spreading the word that our nation’s food system is in crisis, and it’s time for people to understand where and how their food was grown.
“That lettuce on your plate may have come from thousands of miles away, picked way ahead of its peak flavor and nutritional value, and may have been exposed to pathogens in dozens of ways during its voyage from seedling to your table,” he said.
According to the CDC, “Germs can contaminate leafy greens at many points before they reach your plate. For example, germs from animal poop can get in irrigation water or fields where vegetables grow. Germs can also get on leafy greens in packing and processing facilities, in trucks used for shipping, from the unwashed hands of food handlers, and in the kitchen.”
Read more at the link above.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic
Wyoming social media reports the death of 55-year-old Hans Russell, who succumbed to botulism after being conscious but also completely paralyzed for several weeks in a Salt Lake City hospital.
Russell was a popular outdoorsman and river guide in Jackson Hole, WY. His death is blamed on a solo camping trip to Idaho where he consumed a can of soup that was not properly refrigerated. The doctors in Salt Lake City who fought to keep him alive came to believe that the single can of soup was the source of the botulism toxin Russell consumed.
Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Death, food death, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Toxin
The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, investigated a multistate outbreak of E. coli O121:H19 infections linked to Earth Grown frozen falafel.
As of December 1, 2022, CDC announced that the outbreak is over. There have been a total of 24 illnesses in six states. The last illness onset was October 24, 2022.
On October 7, 2022, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development collected Earth Grown frozen falafel for testing from a sick person’s home. Whole Genome Sequencing done at the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services showed that the E. coli strain in the falafel sample was closely related to the strain causing illness in this outbreak.
On October 6, 2022, the manufacturer of Earth Grown frozen falafel, Cuisine Innovations, initiated a voluntary recall. Recalled products include Earth Grown vegan traditional falafel and garlic & herb falafel distributed and sold exclusively by ALDI. Additional information on recalled products is available in the firm’s recall notice.
These items are no longer available for sale but were sold frozen and have a long shelf-life of 18 months, so consumers should check their freezers for any recalled Earth Grown vegan traditional falafel and garlic & herb falafel that was sold by ALDI. If you have recalled frozen falafel in your freezer, do not eat or serve them.
Total Illnesses: 24
Hospitalizations: 5
Deaths: 1
Last illness onset: October 24, 2022
States with Cases: FL (2), IA (2), KS (1), MI (13), OH (1), WI (5)
Product Distribution: Nationwide
Posted in Death, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli O121, FDA, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli
HANOI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — A total of 581 people in Vietnam suffered from food poisoning in the first 10 months of 2022, of whom 11 died, according to the country’s Preventive Health Department on Monday.
In the same period last year, as many as 1,519 people were affected by food poisoning, of whom five died.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Risk
ILOILO CITY – One student died while several others were hospitalized due to food poisoning in Ajuy town in Iloilo province on Friday, Nov. 4.
Mayor Jett Rojas confirmed to the Manila Bulletin in a phone interview on Sunday, Nov. 6, the news on the death of a student and several others who were hospitalized allegedly after drinking spoiled buko juice during a school party on Friday, Nov. 4.
“We can now confirm this is food poisoning,” said Mayor Rojas in an interview with the Manila Bulletin.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk
Since the last update on July 13, 2022, two more illnesses have been reported. As of August 2, 2022, a total of 25 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 11 states (see map). Thirteen sick people are residents of Florida and ten reported traveling to Florida before getting sick. Illnesses started on dates ranging from January 24, 2021, to June 24, 2022 (see timeline).
Sick people range in age from less than one to 92 years, with a median age of 72, and 56% are male. Of 25 people with information available, 24 have been hospitalized. One death in a person who was not pregnant has been reported from Illinois. Five people got sick during their pregnancy, and one person’s illness resulted in a fetal loss.
The true number of sick people in an outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak
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