Category Archives: Food Toxin

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Roasted Salted Pistachios – Shelled Almonds- Pistachios – Groundnuts – Halva – Long Grain Brown Rice

Posted on August 7, 2020 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 8.4; Tot. = 17.7 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted salted pistachios from Turkey in the UK

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 15 mg/kg – ppm) in shelled almonds from the United States in Spain

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 82; Tot. = 86 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled almonds from the United States in Spain

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 186.95; Tot. = 208.67 µg/kg – ppb) in unshelled pistachios from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 4.5; Tot. = 5.8 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched groundnut kernels from Argentina in the UK

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 75,6; Tot. = 83,4 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled groundnuts from Bolivia in Bulgaria

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 15.9; Tot. = 19.7 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts halva from Ukraine in Lithuania

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 6,54; Tot. = 6,54 µg/kg – ppb) in long grain brown rice from Pakistan in Poland

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Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Toxin, Uncategorized

RASFF Alert – Deoxynivalenol (DON) Noodles

Posted on August 7, 2020 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF – deoxynivalenol (DON) (1178 µg/kg – ppb) in noodles from China in Switzerland

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Posted in deoxynivalenol, DON, Food Toxin, mold, Mould Toxin, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Uncategorized

Vietnam – Vietnam reports more food poisoning deaths in 7 months

Posted on August 5, 2020 by KSW | Leave a comment

Xinhuanet

HANOI, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) — In the first seven months of this year, 1,209 people in Vietnam suffered from food poisoning, of whom 19 died, according to the country’s Preventive Health Department on Tuesday.

In the same period last year, 1,372 people were affected by food poisoning, of whom nine died.

The country has detected some 37,800 dengue fever cases in the seven-month period, including three fatalities, 295 cases of virus encephalitis infection including seven fatalities, and 9,243 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease.

Meanwhile, diphtheria has recently spread in central highlands provinces, with 100 cases of infection and three fatalities nationwide as of July 16, said the department, noting that Dak Nong province alone reported 30 cases and two deaths, the highest number among localities.

Vietnam currently has 210,547 HIV carriers, of whom 97,027 have become AIDS patients. To date, 98,948 people in the country have died of AIDS-related diseases, the department said. Enditem

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Posted in food contamination, food death, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Research, Uncategorized

Belgium – Demeter corn flour of the Vajra brand – Fumonsins – Mycotoxins

Posted on August 5, 2020 by KSW | Leave a comment

AFSCA

Recall of Vajra
Product: Demeter corn flour of the Vajra brand
Problem: Exceeding the standard for fumonisins

VAJRA is withdrawing from sale and recalling from consumers the Demeter Corn Flour (500g and 5kg) of the Vajra brand. Analyzes have revealed a non-compliance with the fumonisin parameters (exceeding the standard) in a batch of this corn flour.
The products concerned were sold from May 2020 in certain organic food stores. Vajra brand Demeter corn flour

Weight: 500g
Lot: 0420/260520
Expiration dates (DDM): 05/01/2021
Packing: Paper bag

(update) Demeter Corn Flour of the Vajra brand Weight: 5 kg Lot: 120/220520 Expiration date (DDM): 05/01/2021 Packaging: Paper bag People who have bought the Corn Flour are asked Demeter corn from the lot concerned, not to consume this product and to bring it back to the place of purchase where it will be refunded to you.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Fumonsins, Fusarium Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Toxin, Uncategorized

Jordan – Second mass food poisoning cases up to 118, intensive inspection campaign continues

Posted on August 4, 2020 by KSW | Leave a comment

Roya News

All patients are in a stable condition, most of whom have been discharged except for a few who remain under observation.

The General Director of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA), Nizar Mhaidat, said three types of dangerous bacteria have been found in the samples of shawarma.

The samples were taken from the chicken in the meat supplier’s warehouses, which results showed was not suitable for human consumption.

Approximately 90 field visits were conducted over the past 24 hours as part of the government’s intensive inspection campaign, said Mhaidat.

Six facilities were shut down, 33 warnings were issued and 12 food establishments were banned from operating, he added.

More than 247kg of food was disposed of during inspection visits.

The JFDA inspected all facilities that prepare and shred chicken meat for shawarma restaurants — 11 facilities in Amman, 10 in Zarqa, and one in Irbid.

Shawarma restaurants were also inspected — 27 restaurants in Amman, four in Zarqa, 22 in Irbid, and 14 in Karak.

Inspection teams are still conducting field visits — four in Amman, two teams in Irbid, one in Karak, and two in Zarqa.

Violations include apparent signs of rotten raw chicken and non-compliance with freshness requirements, according to JFDA guidelines.

Other violations involve worker health measures, including personal hygiene and wrong practices, food handling and preserving requirements, health practices regarding insect and pest control, and public hygiene measures in facilities.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Pathogen, pathogenic, Uncategorized

Jordan – One child dead, 700 sick due to mass food poisoning in Jordan restaurant

Posted on July 31, 2020 by KSW | Leave a comment

Alarabiya

A five-year-old child is dead and 700 other people have been hospitalized in Jordan with mass food poisoning after eating shawarma at a restaurant in the town of Ain al-Basha, north of the capital Amman, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.

Investigations revealed that the meat and chicken shawarma had been prepared without using a refrigeration unit in an “unhealthy environment and without adhering to the health requirements and the minimum levels of general safety,” the official Jordan News Agency reported citing a ministry press release.

Laboratory tests also found that bacteria in meat and poultry products at the restaurant, according to the ministry’s statement.

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Posted in food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Poisoning, Uncategorized

UK – Report into international foodborne disease rates published

Posted on July 31, 2020 by KSW | Leave a comment

FSA

A report published by the FSA has found it is not possible to compare foodborne disease rates effectively between countries. This is due to the hugely different methodologies and recording systems employed.

Researchers compared the ways different countries estimate how many people suffer from food poisoning each year, in an effort to determine whether these rates can be reliably compared.

The study, commissioned by the FSA and carried out by Public Health England, uncovered three broad approaches used globally:

Prospective cohort studies – a sample population is recruited in advance, then report weekly on any symptoms of illness and may also submit samples so specific causes can be determined.
Surveillance pyramid studies – an estimation of the number of cases missed through under-diagnosis and under-reporting, by using multipliers to extrapolate from laboratory confirmed illnesses.
Retrospective cross-sectional surveys – a representative sample of the population is contacted and asked about their symptoms in the recent past.

Countries need to calculate foodborne disease estimates due to under-reporting, as not everyone who suffers from infectious intestinal disease (IID) will seek medical help and those who do will not always get a confirmed diagnosis. The data can then inform a country’s own food policy and prioritisation of resources.

Researchers concluded that the UK is using the most accurate approach available (prospective cohort studies).

FSA Head of science, evidence and research, Rick Mumford, said:

“The report concludes that attempting to accurately compare different countries’ foodborne disease rates is an almost impossible task. The only way you could attempt this would be for different countries to have the same type of study with the exact same study specifications, over the same time period. Even then, differences in underlying surveillance data available in each country could cause issues, particularly in terms of determining what proportion of IID cases are due to food.

“We have a much greater understanding of the different approaches taken across the globe and will continue to look and learn from this.”

Read the full report here.