RASFF – ochratoxin A (154 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from the Netherlands in the UK
RASFF – ochratoxin A (36 µg/kg – ppb) in nutmegs from Indonesia in the Netherlands
KSWFoodWorld
Category Archives: Food Poisoning
Kenya – Maize Flour With High Aflatoxin Levels Destroyed in Nakuru
Thirty six tonnes of assorted maize flour brands with high aflatoxin levels have been destroyed in Nakuru.
The flour was found unfit for human consumption following a market surveillance carried out by the county government.
The county’s Public Health Chief Officer Samuel King’ori together with Medical Service Director Solomon Sirma led other officers from the Health department in destroying the consignment at Nakuru’s Gioto dumpsite.
The maize flour was seized last month from traders in Gilgil and Naivasha sub-counties.
RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Peanuts – Groundnuts -Pistachios – Hazlenut Meal Dried Figs
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 17; Tot. = 19 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from the United States in Denmark
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 11.2; Tot. = 12.9 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled groundnuts from the United States in Bulgaria
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 19; Tot. = 21 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Turkey in the Netherlands
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 5 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 11; Tot. = 13 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from India in the Netherlands
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 39; Tot. = 42.12 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Iran in Greece
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 18.4; Tot. = 35.2 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut meal from Georgia in Slovakia
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 12.5; Tot. = 30 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Slovakia
RASFF Alert – Mycotoxin – Patulin – Apple Juice – Apple Puree
RASFF – patulin (123, 162, 130 µg/kg – ppb) in clarified apple juice from Spain in Spain
RASFF – patulin (81 µg/kg – ppb) in apple puree from Spain in Spain
RASFF Alert – Ochratoxin A – Dried Figs
RASFF – ochratoxin A (37.66 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Germany
RASFF Alert – STEC E.coli – Organic Leak Seeds for Sprouting
RASFF – enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (stx- eae+ /25g) in organic leek seeds for sprouting from China, via Italy in Norway
Posted in E.coli, eae, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, STEC, STEC E.coli, STX 1, STX 2, Uncategorized
UK – STEC increase for England and Wales in 2018
More than 1,500 confirmed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections were reported in England and Wales in 2018 and five people died, according to Public Health England data.
A total of 1,553 confirmed cases included 607 laboratory-confirmed cases of STEC serogroup O157 and 612 infections where a non-O157 serogroup was isolated. In 2017, 948 confirmed cases of STEC were reported.
For 334 cases, samples tested positive by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Shiga toxin (stx) genes, but STEC was not cultured with more than 300 of these in England.
Four STEC outbreaks caused by O157 affecting 55 people were investigated in 2018. It was not possible to find the vehicle and/or source of infection for the two largest and national outbreaks were a foodborne source was suspected. In one of these, 26 people were ill with 10 needing hospital treatment. In the other, 17 people were sick and four were hospitalised. The other two smaller outbreaks involved a petting farm and an outdoor event.
Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized
UK -Boy, 9, ‘hospitalised with E.coli after falling severely ill on Bulgaria holiday’
A nine-year-old British boy was hospitalised for six days with E.coli after returning home from a £5,400 family beach holiday in Bulgaria, his parents say.
Keegan-Rhys Vickers was allegedly struck down by symptoms including sickness and diarrhoea just days into the Swansea family’s two-week break in Sunny Beach.
His symptoms were so severe that they continued when the family returned home and his worried parents took him to a hospital in Swansea for treatment.
Kenya – Kebs withdraws 17 maize flour brands over high Aflatoxin
The Kenya Bureau of Standards has suspended 17 maize flour brands, saying they contain high levels of aflatoxin.
In a statement dated January 29, Kebs said the withdrawal of the products from the market followed surveillance and tests.
Among the affected brands are Dola (Eldoret Grain Millers), African King (African Kings Maize Millers), Unique (Ndosha Limited), ML0 (Bidii), City Corn (Central Afya Bora Millers), Sarafina (Century Millers) and Tosha (Godmesa Foods and Allied Limited).
Also withdrawn from the market are Shiba (Grango Suba Millers), Hakika Best (Halisi Maize Mills), Budget (Karibu Four Mills), Wema (Luma Millers Limited) and Jomba (Machakos Millers).
The rest are Adardere Mupa (Mbaitu Maize Million), Afya (Meru Multipurpose Cooperative Society), Uzima (Sigose Unga Millers), Sungura (Eldoret Grain Millers) and Tetema (Eldoret Grains Limited).
While warning of legal action, Market Surveillance Director Peter Kaigwara asked the manufacturers to ensure their products are removed from supermarkets.
Unga wa Dola has not been withdrawn from the market, the manufacturer Kitui Flour Mills has said.
Information – Raw Flour: A Hazardous Ingredient?
Recent recalls of flour are important to note, but a recall is not the only time to be concerned about the safety of uncooked flour.
In recent years, there have been numerous recalls and illnesses associated with uncooked flour and products containing uncooked flour, like boxed cake mix. While it is appropriate to be concerned about getting sick from those batches of recalled flour, that concern should apply to all brands and types of flour, regardless of a recall.
Flour is a raw agricultural product. Wheat is grown outside in a field where birds and other animals fly over and wander through the field, which can introduce contaminants. The wheat is harvested, taken to a mill and ground into powder. Flour is not treated in the factory to destroy potential pathogens such as E. coli. These bacteria will eventually be killed by cooking, baking or frying food. When you use flour at home as an ingredient in recipes, treat it with the same care as raw eggs and meat. Symptoms of E. coli infection can include stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Severe infections lead to kidney damage.
FoodWorld 