Category Archives: Food Poisoning

HPS -Scotland E.coli Report 2011

Posted on February 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPS Report

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) said it had recorded 253 positive cases of E.coli during 2011, up from 212 the previous year.

The agency blamed the increase on a UK-wide outbreak believed to have originated from contaminated vegetables. The outbreak, between December 2010 and July 2011, saw 250 cases of E.coli infection throughout England, Wales and Scotland and 74 victims treated in hospital.

The agency blamed the increase on a UK-wide outbreak believed to have originated from contaminated vegetables. The outbreak, between December 2010 and July 2011, saw 250 cases of E. coli infection throughout England, Wales and Scotland and 74 victims treated in hospital.

However, the HPS report also noted that the apparent spike in E. coli between 2010 and 2011 was partly due to the unusually low rate of E. coli infection in 2010.

The report also noted decreases in salmonella and campylobacter.
In 2011, HPS received reports of 736 cases of salmonella infection – a decrease of almost 22% on the 941 reported in 2010.

Cases of campylobacter were also down 3.6% to 6366 last year, although the figure remains “one of the highest on record.”

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Posted in Campylobacter, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, HPA, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Recall, Salmonella

Food Poisoning: Understanding How Bacteria Come Back from the ‘Dead’

Posted on February 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily

Salmonella remains a serious cause of food poisoning in the UK and throughout the EU, in part due to its ability to thrive and quickly adapt to the different environments in which it can grow. New research involving a team of IFR scientists, funded by BBSRC, has taken the first detailed look at what Salmonella does when it enters a new environment, which could provide clues to finding new ways of reducing transmission through the food chain and preventing human illness.

The full article discusses lag phase and what happens to the bacteria in that time.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology, Salmonella

More US Recalls of Products Using Boiled Eggs – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on February 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

USDA

GH Foods SW, a Houston, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 515 pounds of Cobb salad products. The salads contain eggs that are the subject of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recall due to concerns about contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

USDA

F&S Produce Company Inc., a Deerfield, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 389 pounds of Cobb and spinach salads. The salads contain eggs that are the subject of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recall due to concerns about contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Recall

US – Raw Milk – Campylobacter – Now 38 Cases

Posted on February 4, 2012 by | 1 comment

Pennsylvania health officials have updated the number of reported ill in the outbreak of campylobacter linked to Your Family Cow Dairy, located in that state.   The ill persons, though, are now found in four states, Pennsylvania (31), Maryland (4), West Virginia (2), and New Jersey (1). 

Earlier in the week Maryland officials reported that they had isolated the  strain of campylobacter also isolated from ill persons who consumed the milk in two unopened raw milk samples from the homes of customers.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak

Legionella Outbreak – Spain

Posted on February 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPA Release

Although not food based all food manufacturing sites have to demonstrate Legionella control. This article just highlights what can happen when the water systems that the organism can colonise is not controlled correctly.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is aware of nine cases of Legionnaires’ disease in English holiday makers associated with the Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe, Costa Blanca since January 2012, in addition to four Spanish cases so far reported. Subsequently two of the English patients are reported to have died from their illness.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, HPA, Legionella, Microbiology, outbreak

US – Sardines Recallled Due to Possible Botulism Contamination

Posted on February 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Botulism Blog Marler Clark

W & C International Import Inc. is recalling “Rely” Sardine Anchovies because the product was found to be un-eviscerated.  The recalled “Rely” Sardine Anchovies were distributed nationwide in 7.0 oz. plastic packages. The “Rely” Sardine Anchovies are a product of China.

Uneviscerated fish have been linked to outbreaks of botulium poisioning.

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Posted in Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology

FDA Recall – Hard Boiled Eggs – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on February 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is recalling hard-cooked eggs, as well as prepared foods that contain hard-cooked eggs, sold between January 23 and February 1, 2012 because the eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness in connection with these products. Wegmans has placed automated phone calls to customers who purchased the products using their Shoppers Club card.

According to Michael Foods, the recall was initiated after lab testing revealed that some of the eggs within the recalled lot dates may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Recall

EFSA – Report Salmonella Enterica – France December 2011

Posted on February 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

An outbreak of the monophasic variant of Salmonella enterica serotype 4,[5],12:i:- occurred in November and December 2011 in France. Epidemiological investigation and food investigation with the help of supermarket loyalty cards suggested dried pork sausage from one producer as the most likely source of the outbreak. Despite the absence of positive food samples, control measures including withdrawal and recall were implemented.

Full Report

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Posted in EFSA, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Salmonella

FSA – Salmonella Newport

Posted on February 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been notified by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) of an outbreak of a strain of Salmonella Newport infection that is known to have affected more than 30 people in the UK.

Although it is too soon to say for certain what the likely cause of infection is, a potential link to watermelons has been identified.

One person has died in the outbreak, although they also had serious underlying health complications. The outbreak was first detected in early December 2011 and the most recently reported illness was at the end of that month.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Microbiology, Salmonella

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HPA – Salmonella Newport Ivestigation – Brazillian Water Melons Link?

Posted on February 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPA LINK

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is investigating an outbreak of a strain of Salmonella Newport infection among 30 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the beginning of December 2011. Cases of illness caused by the same strain have been confirmed in Scotland, Ireland and Germany.

Dr Bob Adak, head of the gastrointestinal diseases department at the HPA said: “Although it’s too soon to say with certainty what the likely cause of infection is, early indications suggest that a number of people became unwell after eating watermelon. This has also been noted in the cases in Scotland and Germany although further investigation is ongoing.

There does not appear to be anything on the FSA website yet.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Microbiology, outbreak, Recall, Salmonella