Category Archives: Food Toxin

USA – Seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants Associated with E. coli Outbreak

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

There are now seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants associated with an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened 15 people, an increase of two more patients since the last update posted in December 2019. The outbreak appears to be over, according to the Seattle King County Health Department, but the investigation is ongoing. Three people were hospitalized because they were so sick.

The seven Seattle Evergreen restaurants named by the health department include Evergreen locations at:

  • Pioneer Square (106 1st Avenue S, Seattle)
  • University District (4609 Village Ter NE, Seattle)
  • Downtown (823 3rd Avenue, Seattle)
  • Chinatown-International District (504 5th Ave South, Seattle)
  • Sammamish Highlands (600 228th Avenue NE, Sammamish)
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (17801 International Blvd, Seattle)
  • 2nd and Pike Street (1430 2nd Ave, Seattle)

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Posted in 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 recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

Singapore -SFA recalls live mussels from France due to presence of Norovirus

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CNA

 

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Saturday (Jan 11) that it has directed food specialist Classic Fine Foods to recall the Bouchot live mussels from France.

In a media release, SFA said that the European Commission Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed has issued a recall for the live mussels from Baie Du Mont-Saint-Michel Aop in France “due to the presence of a norovirus”.

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Toxin, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized

Information USA – What Are the Symptoms of Common Foodborne Pathogens?

Posted on January 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Burden of Foodborne Illness: Findings

CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.

 

These estimates provide the most accurate estimates yet of which known foodborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) are causing the most illnesses in the United States, and how many foodborne illnesses are caused by unspecified agents. The estimates also show that much work remains to be done—specifically in focusing efforts on the top known pathogens and identifying the additional causes of foodborne illness and death.

CDC provides estimates for two major groups of foodborne illnesses

Known foodborne pathogens — 31 pathogens known to cause foodborne illness. Many of these pathogens are tracked by public health systems that track diseases and outbreaks. Read the report >

Unspecified agents — Agents with insufficient data to estimate agent-specific burden; known agents not yet identified as causing foodborne illness; microbes, chemicals, or other substances known to be in food whose ability to cause illness is unproven; and agents not yet identified. Because you can’t “track” what isn’t yet identified, estimates for this group of agents started with the health effects or symptoms that they are most likely to cause, such as acute gastroenteritis. Read the report >

Total number of foodborne illnesses each year

CDC estimated the number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by both known and unspecified agents. CDC then estimated what proportion of each were foodborne. The first table below provides estimates for domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, and the second table provides estimates for domestically acquired illnesses caused by all transmission routes (foodborne, waterborne, person-to-person contact, animal contact, environmental contamination, and others).

Estimated annual number of domestically acquired, foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents transmitted through food, United States
Foodborne agents Estimated annual number of illnesses Estimated annual number of hospitalizations Estimated annual number of deaths
Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) %
31 known pathogens 9.4 million
(6.6–12.7 million)		 20 55,961
(39,534–75,741)		 44 1,351
(712–2,268)		 44
Unspecified agents 38.4 million
(19.8–61.2 million)		 80 71,878
(9,924–157,340)		 56 1,686
(369–3,338)		 56
Total 47.8 million
(28.7–71.1 million)		 100 127,839
(62,529–215,562)		 100 3,037
(1,492–4,983)		 100
Estimated annual number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents, United States
Foodborne agents Estimated annual number of illnesses Estimated annual number of hospitalizations Estimated annual number of deaths
Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) %
31 known pathogens 37.2 million
(28.4–47.6 million)		 21 228,744
(188,326–275,601)		 47 2,612
(1,723–3,819)		 42
Unspecified agents 141.8 million 79 258,033 53 3,574 58
Total 179 million 100 486,777 100 6,186 100

 

Pathogens causing the most foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths each year

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses
Pathogen Estimated number of illnesses 90% credible interval %
Norovirus 5,461,731 3,227,078–8,309,480 58
Salmonella, nontyphoidal 1,027,561 644,786–1,679,667 11
Clostridium perfringens 965,958 192,316–2,483,309 10
Campylobacter spp. 845,024 337,031–1,611,083 9
Staphylococcus aureus 241,148 72,341–529,417 3
Subtotal 91

 Top of Page

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in hospitalization
Pathogen Estimated number of hospitalizations 90% credible interval %
Salmonella, nontyphoidal 19,336 8,545–37,490 35
Norovirus 14,663 8,097–23,323 26
Campylobacter spp. 8,463 4,300–15,227 15
Toxoplasma gondii 4,428 2,634–6,674 8
E. coli (STEC) O157 2,138 549–4,614 4
Subtotal 88
Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in death
Pathogen Estimated number of deaths 90% credible interval %
Salmonella, nontyphoidal 378 0–1,011 28
Toxoplasma gondii 327 200–482 24
Listeria monocytogenes 255 0–733 19
Norovirus 149 84–237 11
Campylobacter spp. 76 0–332 6
Subtotal 88
References

Scallan E, Hoekstra RM, Angulo FJ, Tauxe RV, Widdowson M, Roy SL, et al. Foodborne illness acquired in the United States—major pathogens. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17(1):7-15. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1701.p11101External

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Posted in Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Toxin, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, Research, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, STEC, STEC E.coli, Toxoplasma gondii, Toxoplasmosis, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Dried Figs – Groundnuts – Pistachios – Roasted Chopped Hazlenuts – Hazlenuts – Organic Peanut Butter

Posted on January 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 12.02; Tot. = 12.33 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 7.54; Tot. = 8.89 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in Poland

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 8.4; Tot. = 11.5 / B1 = 7.3; Tot. = 12.9 / B1 = 44; Tot. = 127 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 10.8; Tot. = 11.6 / B1 = 23; Tot. = 26 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 15.4; Tot. = 16.1 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Iran in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 47.9; Tot. = 53.2 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from the United States in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 53; Tot. = 57.6 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the UK

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 17.1; Tot. = 21.9 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernels from Turkey, with raw material from the United States in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (Tot. = 17.2 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted chopped hazelnut kernels from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 77; Tot. = 127 / B1 = 320; Tot. = 370 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnuts with shell from Azerbaijan in France

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 9.9; Tot. = 11.7 µg/kg – ppb) in organic peanut butter from the United Kingdom, via the Netherlands in Denmark

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 8.86 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey 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, RASFF, Toxin, Uncategorized

RASFF Alert- STEC E.coli – Chilled Beef Steak Tartare

Posted on January 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+ /25g) in chilled beef steak tartare from Poland in Poland

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Posted in E.coli, 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

France – Hundreds ill in France after eating contaminated raw shellfish – Noroviurs?

Posted on January 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

More than 650 people have fallen ill in France this past month after eating contaminated raw shellfish.

Since the start of December 2019, Santé publique France has received 123 reports of collective food poisoning suspected to be linked to consumption of raw shellfish, mainly oysters.

The majority, 87 of the 123 alerts, occurred from Dec. 23, 2019, and forward. A peak of illnesses hit from December 25 to 27.

A total of 668 people were sick and 17 needed hospital treatment. Most are more than 15 years old. Of the 415 patients with age information available, 15 were younger than 15.

Much higher than recent years
Symptoms, mainly diarrhea and vomiting, as well as incubation times, are consistent with norovirus or other enteric virus infections. Stool tests have confirmed the presence of these viruses. Symptoms of norovirus appear one to two days after being infected and typically last for two or three days.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Toxin, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Colorado county reports first foodborne botulism death in more than decade

Posted on January 8, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Foodborne botulism is rare but potentially deadly.

The death of an El Paso County, CO, woman who died this past Sept.20 has since been officially blamed on foodborne botulism, the first death of its kind in a decade.

Cardiovascular disease and diabetes contributed to death, according to the autopsy report. Were it not for botulism, however, the 80-year-old woman could still be alive.

The source of the botulism was previously frozen potatoes stored at room temperature for two weeks. After eating the pre-prepared potatoes, the woman developed trouble breathing; her eyes bulged, her speech slowed, and her muscles became weakened.

The woman’s botulism death was the first in El Paso County since 2008.

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Posted in Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

UK -Eighteen Brit holidaymakers in hospital after food poisoning outbreak at a top Italian Alps hotel

Posted on January 6, 2020 by | Leave a comment

The Scottish Sun

EIGHTEEN Brit holidaymakers were in hospital last night after a suspected food poisoning attack at a top hotel in the Italian Alps.

The group were tucking into a New Year’s Day dinner on the slopes when several suddenly reported feeling ill and throwing up.

A spokesperson for TUI UK said””We can confirm that a number of customers staying at the Hotel Miravalle have reported that they had been unwell, with some seeking further medical advice. We are currently investigating what may have caused this.

“We would like to reassure customers that we take health and hygiene very seriously, and the safety and wellbeing of our customers is our highest priority.

“Our Crystal Ski Holidays reps in resort are on hand to support any customers who reported that they are unwell. We are working closely with our resort team and the hotel’s management to help prevent further illness spreading.”

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

Viet Nam – Kindergarten fined for feeding Staph bacteria contaminated food to students

Posted on January 6, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Vn Express

A Thanh Hoa Province kindergarten where 143 kids had to be hospitalized with food poisoning a fortnight ago has been fined VND43 million ($1,860).

Results of tests done on the steamed rice rolls (banh cuon) served to the children of the Vuon Mat Troi Kindergarten last December 23 was announced Friday by the Central Food Quality Control Institute under the Ministry of Health,

The school in Thanh Hoa Town, capital of central province Thanh Hoa, had bought the rice rolls from a local shop.

Thanh Hoa’s Department of Food Safety and Hygiene fined the school for serving unhygienic food of unclear origin. The department also proposed authorities to punish the food provider.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Staphylococcus aureus, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Dried Figs – Groundnuts – Peanut Butter

Posted on January 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – aflatoxins (Tot. = 54.1 / µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Italy

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 7.6; Tot. = 15.2 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 42; Tot. = 61 / B1 = 140; Tot. = 160 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Egypt in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 18; Tot. = 21 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Egypt in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 24; Tot. = 30 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Egypt in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (Tot. = 13 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 9.4; Tot. = 11.3 µg/kg – ppb) in peanut butter from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

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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, RASFF, Uncategorized