Category Archives: Food Poisoning

UK – East Midlands Free Listeria Seminar for SME’s

Posted on February 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

ReadyMealsInfo

East Midlands food businesses that make, distribute and sell chilled, ready-to-eat products are to be given help and advice to help them keep their products safe from Listeria.

According to data from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) serious cases of laboratory-confirmed Listeria infection in the UK almost doubled between 2000 and 2009. In 2010 numbers decreased but were still higher than during the 1990s.
The Food and Drink iNet, which is run by trade organisation The Food and Drink Forum, is funding a six-month collaborative research and development project at The University of Nottingham working with the food hygiene specialists Diversey, to turn the spotlight on the issue.

As part of the project, a seminar is being run to give small and medium-sized businesses in the chilled food sector, guidance and advice about how to manage the risk of Listeria.  The seminar will be held in the Plant Sciences Building at the University’s Sutton Bonington campus between 4 pm and 6.45 pm on Wednesday February 13.

The Food and Drink iNet, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and The University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region to offer a range of support to small and medium-sized enterprises that work in the sector.

To book places at the seminar email iNet advisor Jo Murphy at jo.murphy@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk and for more information visit www.foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

 

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Methods, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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RASFF Alerts – Histamine – E.coli

Posted on February 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – E.coli in Rope Mussels in France via Irland

RASFF – Histamine in Tuna Chunks in Denmark sourced in Thailand

Denmark – Histamine in Tuna in Denmark

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Histamine, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall

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USA – Norovirus Outbreak Deli

Posted on February 1, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Concord PatchNorwalk_Caspid

A Concord deli has been closed by Contra Costa County environmental health officials due to norovirus contamination.

Marilyn Underwood, environmental health department director, said the North Park Deli on Nelson Avenue was shut down late Tuesday afternoon. It’s uncertain when the eatery will re-open.

Underwood said two employees at the deli have tested positive for the virus.

She said her department was first notified of the illness when 15 people who were at an event catered by North Park Deli on Friday evening became sick over the weekend.

It usually takes 36 to 48 hours after exposure for norovirus symptoms to appear.

Underwood said anyone who visited the deli late last week or early this week and becomes sick should avoid contact with other people. In addition, surfaces and other contaminated items should be cleaned with bleach.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

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USA – “No Illness” Declaration Viewpoint

Posted on February 1, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Food companies that are voluntarily recalling a product usually use the language suggested by regulatory agencies that is then distributed electronically via the federal government websites. Recalls not connected to outbreaks almost always contain a line saying there are no reported illnesses associated with the recalled product.

William E. Keene, Oregon’s senior state epidemiologist, thinks it’s time for reporters and editors to “not let themselves be duped into amplifying press release boilerplate.”

Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have templates for companies to use when writing a recall announcement. They are:

FDA: ”No illnesses have been reported to date.”

FSIS: “There have been no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.”

“Until they have the isolate(s) serotyped, have PFGE’d (conducted a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis), and compared to PulseNet or analogous data,” says Keene, “they are just blowing smoke.” He says that without subtyping data, the media should not fall for it. The only accurate report is that there is no way of knowing (at this time) if there are any associated illnesses.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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Research – Raw Flour can cause Foodborne Illness

Posted on January 31, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Most savvy cooks know that raw eggs, meat, poultry, and shellfish should be handled with care because they most likely contain pathogenic bacteria. So they wash their hands after handling these products, take care to avoid cross-contamination, and sanitize surfaces after cooking. Cooking those foods will kill the pathogenic bacteria.

But did you know that uncooked flour can also be contaminated with pathogens? A study published in Foodborne Pathogens and Disease found that a cluster of Salmonella cases occurred in New Zealand in October 2008 linked to wheat-based poultry feed raw material. And raw flour caused an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. in 2009 that sickened 77 people in 30 states. In that case, the flour was in raw refrigerated,prepackaged cookie dough.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

USA – FDA Recall Alfalfa Sprouts – Listeria monocyotgenes

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | 4 comments

FDAEurofins

Sprouters Northwest of Kent, Washington is recalling 1953 pounds of alfalfa, clover, brocco sandwich sprouts, and spicy sprouts due to the potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Products were distributed from 1/10/13 to 1/18/13 in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and British Columbia, Canada through retail stores and food service distribution chain.

The affected products are sold under the Sprouters Northwest brand and are packaged in plastic clamshell containers and plastic 1 lb bags.

The problem was identified through a surveillance sampling and two samples collected at retail locations were tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).

The firm is working with WSDA and the Food & Drug Administration on this recall.

Consumers should not consume the recalled sprouts products and are advised to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-253-872-0577 from 7AM to 2PM PST.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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USA – Ground Beef – Salmonella Typhimurium – Outbreaks

Posted on January 27, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News – First Outbreak Update

An emerging outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium has expanded to five states with 16 people infected with the outbreak strain, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta said Friday.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)– just 24 hours earlier– announced the existence of the outbreak with seven illnesses in two states, Michigan and Arizona.

CDC said the states and the number of persons infected in the outbreak now includes: Arizona (!), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (9), and Wisconsin (3). No deaths have been reported, but 53 percent of the ill persons have required hospitalization.

Food Safety News – Second Outbreak

A second Michigan retail store has recalled about 550 pounds of ground beef products that may be associated with a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to a Macomb County restaurant.

Troy-based Gab Halal Foods recalled various size bags of ground beef, wrapped in clear plastic. The recalled product was produced between Dec. 4, and Dec. 10, 2012 and distributed to the Macomb County restaurant and directly to consumers.

The beef products were sold without labels.

According to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the second recall was initiated out of concern for a cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses that may be caused by eating a raw ground beef product at a restaurant in Michigan’s Macomb County.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella, USDA

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New Zealand Recall – Cheese Products Implicated in the Australian Listeria Outbreak

Posted on January 25, 2013 by | 1 comment

Ministry for Primary Industries

Jindi’ Brand Cheese  imported from Australia – includes brand names ‘Old Telegraph Road’ and ‘Top  Paddock’.

This is a precautionary recall due to an  outbreak of Listeriosis illness in Australia linked to other Jindi brand  products.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

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FSA – Norovirus Advice and Information

Posted on January 24, 2013 by | 1 comment

FSANorwalk_Caspid

During the current norovirus outbreak, the FSA is reminding people what they can do when preparing food to minimise the likelihood of food contamination. Tackling foodborne norovirus is one of the priorities for the Agency, as part of its Foodborne Disease Strategy. (see link above)

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Research, Uncategorized

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Research – Listeria Antibiotic Resistance in Burgers

Posted on January 24, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

Malaysian researchers have revealed the presence of multidrug-resistant strains of Listeria monocytogenes in frozen burger patties taken from supermarkets and other retail shops in Malaysia. The research was published in Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science.

A recent publication by W.C. Wong and colleagues in the Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science revealed the presence of multidrug-resistant strains of Listeria monocytogenes in frozen burger patties taken from supermarkets and other retail shops in Malaysia.

The results also suggested that the overall incidence of antibiotic resistance in L. monocytogenes is relatively low, and that most of the bacterial strains isolated from food are susceptible to antibiotics commonly used in veterinary and human therapy.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Poisoning, Food Technology, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Research

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