Category Archives: Food Technology

USA- Hepatitis A in the News Again Worldwide

Posted on June 1, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsVirusds

Patrons of the 800 Degrees Three Fires restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana may be at risk for hepatitis A infection, warned health officials Friday.

A worker at the restaurant tested positive for the virus, prompting the Allen County Health  Department to issue a public health advisory.

The Department is urging customers who ate or drank at the 800 Degrees Three Fires restaurant on Illinois Road between May 18 and May 26, 2013 to get the hepatitis A vaccine if they have not already had it.

Food Safety News

new outbreak of a hepatitis A strain rarely seen in the Western Hemisphere is believed to be associated with frozen mixed berries purchased from Costco is being investigated by multiple agencies, including the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  At least 30 illnesses are involved, including  sicknesses in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries purchased from Costco appear to be the source of this outbreak.

The outbreak strain has  been identified by CDC as hepatitis A virus (HAV) genotype 1B, a strain that circulates in North Africa and the Middle East.  It was associated with last year’s outbreak in Europe involving frozen berries and another in British Columbia involving frozen berry blend with pomegranate seeds from Egypt.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, outbreak, Pathogen, Poisoning, Recall, Toxin, Virus

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UK – FSA – Whitefish Processors Industry Guide Published

Posted on May 31, 2013 by | 1 comment

FSAfood_standards_agency_logo

The guide, which can be purchased via the link above, provides advice on achieving best practice concerning the quality of fish purchased and its maintenance during processing, packaging and dispatch. In addition, it covers the requirements applicable to the processing of white fish, including filleting, smoking and freezing.

The guide sets out the means by which the white fish processor can comply with Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, and Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 laying down specific rules for food of animal origin.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology

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Research – Salmonella Protective Switch

Posted on May 29, 2013 by | Leave a comment

HACCP Europa

Salmonella Typhimurium causes food poisoning in people and can be fatal in the elderly or very young. Recent technological advances in the field known as proteomics are allowing researchers to explore how proteins, the workhorses of the cell, allow the bacteria to infect and cause illness. Most technologies that examine a cell’s ensemble of proteins do so by chopping the proteins up. Adkins, lead author Charles Ansong and other colleagues wanted to look at whole proteins, which provides more information such as how proteins are regulated.

For the first time, researchers have found a particular kind of molecular switch in the food poisoning bacteria Salmonella Typhimurium under infection-like conditions. This switch, using a process called S-thiolation, appears to be used by the bacteria to respond to changes in the environment during infection and might protect it from harm.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Technology

Research – Copper Kills Norovirus

Posted on May 29, 2013 by | 2 comments

Food Posioning BulletinNorwalk_Caspid

New research presented last week at the American Society for Microbiology’s 2013 general meeting showed that copper can destroy norovirus. The research was conducted at the University of Southampton. That virus causes more than 20 million illnesses in the United States every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and norovirus causes 267 million infections worldwide every year.

Norovirus is extremely contagious and often affects people in contained situations, such as cruise ships and retirement homes. It is spread through person-to-person contact, contact with contaminated objects, and through food and drink.

Scientists discovered that norovirus is quickly destroyed on contact with copper.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology, Norovirus, Research, Virus

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RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Ochratoxin – Groundnuts – Pistachios – Rye Flour –

Posted on May 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 10; Tot. = 12 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from China in the Netherlands

RASFF -Aflatoxins (Tot. = 9.3 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from China in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 16.3; Tot. = 35.2 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – Ochratoxin A (5.10 µg/kg – ppb) in rye flour from Poland

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 54; Tot. = 62 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched groundnut kernels from China in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 10; Tot. = 10 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 4.0; Tot. = 6.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Brazil in the UK

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Toxin

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New Zealand – Food Outlet 9 Cases Salmonella Infantis

Posted on May 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The New Zealand Herald Salmonella

An unnamed Northland food outlet is being investigated over nine confirmed cases of a rare type of Salmonella. In the past few weeks, Northland District Health Board has found a total of eleven cases of the food poisoning, which has been identified as salmonella infantis.

The Board’s medical officer Clair Mills says it was odd to have a cluster all at once and in a region where this type of bug is uncommon. She says nine of the eleven people had eaten at the same outlet in Whangarei.

“So then of course we look further at the premise and we take samples from food and we take stool samples from staff.”

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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USA – Campylobacter in Raw Milk Outbreak

Posted on May 24, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning JournalimagesCAZ9J1WP

The Alaska Section of Epidemiology is investigating another outbreak of Campylobacter infection associated with the consumption of raw milk. This new outbreak is associated with raw milk distributed by the same Kenai Peninsula cow-share program that was linked to a Campylobacter outbreak sickened at least 31 people in February 2013.

In the current investigation, five cases of Campylobacter infection have been identified to date. Two of the five people sought medical attention. Testing by the Alaska State Public Health Laboratory identified the bacteria strain as Campylobacter jejuni. The exact same strain of C. jejuni was found in cow manure obtained earlier this year at the cow-share farm that distributed the raw milk. “The genetic fingerprint of the bacteria isolated from these two people and the cow is unique. It has never been seen before in the United States,” said Dr. Joe McLaughlin, State Epidemiologist. “These outbreaks are an unfortunate reminder of the inherent risks associated with raw milk consumption, and underscore the importance of pasteurization.”

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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Research – Salmonella and Campylobacter Prevalence and Concentration on Pasture-Raised Broilers

Posted on May 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDA

The small-scale, pasture-raised poultry production model is a growing niche in
the locally grown food movement. There is limited research that focuses on the
food safety of small-scale broiler processing methods. The objective of this
study was to compare Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalence and concentrations on pasture-raised broilers processed on-farm, in a small United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Inspected custom slaughter facility (U-IF), and in a Mobile Processing Unit (MPU) pilot plant. A total of 120, 100, and 50 post-chill, pasture-raised broiler carcasses were sampled from each processing method, respectively. Salmonella and Campylobacter concentrations in whole carcass rinses were determined using a 3-tube Most Probable Number (MPN) method for Salmonella and direct plating method for Campylobacter according to the USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) protocols. Salmonella prevalence and concentrations on-farm (89% and 1.78 MPN/carcass [95% CI: 1.60-1.96]), USDA-IF (43% and 0.78 MPN/carcass [95%CI: 0.58-0.98]) were significantly (P <0.05) different. Campylobacter prevalence was not significantly (P >0.05) different on carcasses processed by the three methods (70% on-farm, 82% USDA-IF, and 100% MPU). The mean log10 Campylobacter concentrations in MPU processed carcasses (5.44 CFU/carcass [95% CI: 5.24-5.63]) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to on-farm (2.32 CFU/carcass [95% CI: 2.06-2.80]) and USDA-IF (2.44 CFU/carcass (95% CI: 2.03-2.85]). Based on the results of this baseline study, most pasture-raised broilers processed by the three methods were contaminated with Salmonella and/or Campylobacter with the exception of MPU carcasses on which Salmonella was not detected. Further research is needed to assess other potential risk factors such as farm and regional differences.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella

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USA Research – Food Testing Laboratory Accuracy?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Medical Express

Food microbiology laboratories continue to submit false negative results and false positive results on a routine basis. A retrospective study of nearly 40,000 proficiency test results over the past 14 years, presented today at the 113th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, examined the ability of food laboratories to detect or rule out the presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter.

The study found that, on average, food laboratories report false negatives of 9.1% for Campylobacter, a bacterial foodborne illness that may cause bloody diarrhea, cramping and fever, and 4.9% for Salmonella, a bacteria that may cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps sometimes leading to hospitalization or death. The false positive rate, on average, is 3.9% for Salmonella, and 2.5% for both E. coli and L. monocytogenes.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Laboraotry, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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Europe – ECDC – Antimicrobial resistance continues to be found in Salmonella and Campylobacter

Posted on May 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

ECDCSalmonella

Antimicrobial resistance continues to be found in Salmonella and Campylobacter, the latest joint report from the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reveals.

The EU Summary Report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals and food    reveals that a high proportion of Campylobacter bacteria were resistant to ciprofloxacin, a critically important antimicrobial. However, there was low resistance to erythromycin and co-resistance to important antimicrobials remains low.

Multidrug resistance was higher in Salmonella bacteria, the report reveals. Despite this, co-resistance to critically important antimicrobials remains low. High levels of antimicrobial resistance were found in Salmonella bacteria from humans and food animals, in particular turkeys and pigs.

Dr Marc Sprenger, ECDC Director, said: ‘With harmonised surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in isolates from humans and animals, we can inform effective actions to prevent further spread of antimicrobial resistance in humans.’

 

 

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Bacteria, Campylobacter, ECDC, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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