Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

Scotland E.coli O157 Extends to 9 Cases

Posted on May 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Scottish Sun

Three tots confirmed to have the bug were yesterday treated in hospital, with one released.

Infection experts are trying to track down the source of the sickness and diarrhoea viral outbreak which hit the under-twos section at Rose Lodge Nursery in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

NHS Grampian said health protection teams found “reasonable” food hygiene and infection control at the unit.

A spokeswoman added: “Control measures are in place. An inspection has been carried out and an incident team convened.” The nursery, which has 40 pupils, first reported the virus on Sunday.

Experts say E.coli poses the biggest risk to under-fives.

Owner Julie Grant said: “We have taken the advice to close our Baby Room until further notice.

“The nursery remains open to unaffected families of children over two years old.

“We have a high standard of hygiene and rigorous infection control procedures. Our thoughts are with the children and families affected.”

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/4339264/Nine-tots-hit-by-ecoli-outbreak-at-nursery.html#ixzz1w9Eekiw4

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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Scotland – Three Children Hospitalised E.coli O157

Posted on May 25, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Scotsman

THREE infants were being treated in hospital last night following a suspected E coli 0157 outbreak linked to the baby unit at a nursery school.

NHS Grampian confirmed that infection control specialists at the health authority are investigating two confirmed cases and four suspected cases of potentially deadly E coli O157 infection in children who attend Rose Lodge Nursery School in Aboyne, Royal Deeside.

The baby unit at the nursery school has been closed while investigations continue to identify the source of the bug. The garden in the grounds of the nursery in the heart of the village has also been declared out of bounds to the children but the nursery remains open.

The three children who have been admitted to hospital were all being cared for in the baby unit. There are a total of 40 children at the nursery, which takes children from six weeks up to the age of five.

NHS Grampian stressed yesterday the investigation to pinpoint a possible source for the bug was not focused solely on the nursery and that other potential sources of infection in the predominantly rural area were also being looked at.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

US – Soup Recall – Clostridium botulinum Risk

Posted on May 25, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDPH

Taste of Roux brand vegetarian soups Taste of Roux, LLC,

Valley Village, CA

 Possible

Clostridium botulinum contamination

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

“Garbage Juice” – Listeria

Posted on May 25, 2012 by | Leave a comment

WYKC

NORTHEAST OHIO — Listeria, a potentially deadly food-borne bacteria, was found in high levels of fluids dripping from garbage trucks onto neighbourhood streets, a Channel 3 News investigation found.

The bacteria has a mortality rate of 20 percent and, according to microbiologist Roger Pryor, of Accra Labs in Twinsburg,  it poses an especially significant threat to the elderly, children and to pregnant women.

Channel 3 news collected samples of fluids spilling from garbage trucks in Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Maple Heights and Brooklyn and had them tested.

In addition to listeria, Accra Labs found very high levels of bacteria and low levels of salmonella.

Cleveland City Councilman Mike Polensek says homeowners in the Collinwood neighbourhood he represents often complain about the filthy stains left behind by city trash haulers.

“It becomes a major problem because you don’t know what’s in it,” said Polensek.

Some experts say a single drop of listeria is enough to make you sick. Children playing ball in the streets can easily come in contact with the contaminated fluid.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Water

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Worldwide Recall – Tempeh Starter Yeast Culture – Salmonella

Posted on May 24, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Indonesianfoodmart.com of Rockville, MD, is recalling all packages of “Tempeh Starter Yeast” because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhoea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The recalled ” Tempeh Starter Yeast “and “Super Starter Yeast” were distributed nationwide and internationally through direct mail orders. The product was also distributed to the following areas: Australia, Canada, Slovenia, New Zealand, Brunei, Darussalam, Poland and Croatia.

The product comes in sealed, clear plastic packages marked with a small computer printed label. The following sizes were sold: 30gm, 50gm, 250 gm, and 1000 gm

Several illnesses have been reported to date that may be in connection with this problem

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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Raw Milk the Facts Information Site

Posted on May 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Raw Milk

In the light of recent issues with raw milk this website may offer you some information if you are concerned or just interested. It is US based but the facts are still applicable.

Raw Milk Facts

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Research

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella, Histamine, Listeria, Aflatoxins

Posted on May 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella Agona – Soya Bean Meal from Italy

RASFF – Aflatoxins – Halva and Pistachios from Turkey

RASFF – Salmonella Derby – Bulls Pizzle from Germany

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenese – Smoked Salmon from Poland

RASFF – Histamine – Sardines in Oil, Sardines in Tomato from Morroco

RASFF – Salmonella Infantis- Frozen Chicken from Poland

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Histamine, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella

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Listeria Research – Growth Dynamics on Produce

Posted on May 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Online LibertyPub 

Several Listeriosis outbreaks have been linked to the consumption of fresh or processed produce in recent years. One major determinant of the Listeriosis risk is the ability of a food to support growth of Listeria monocytogenes during storage. However, data regarding the ability to support growth of L. monocytogenes are scarce or no existing for many produce commodities. Here we synthesize the available data regarding growth behaviour of L. monocytogenes on produce, compare the growth data with Listeriosis outbreak data, and evaluate the adequacy of the data for predictive modelling. Growth rates and maximum L. monocytogenes population densities differed markedly among produce commodities, and post-harvest processing had a considerable effect on growth dynamics for certain commodities such as tomatoes. However, data scarcity prevented reliable estimation of growth rates for many commodities. Produce outbreaks seemed frequently associated with processed produce and often involved storage under suboptimal conditions (e.g., at room temperature for several hours or for several months in the refrigerator) or environmental cross-contamination after processing. However, no clear associations between high growth rates of L. monocytogenes on fresh produce and outbreaks were detected. In conclusion, produce commodities differ in the supported growth rate of L. monocytogenes, the maximum attainable L. monocytogenes population density, and possibly in the impact of post-harvest processing, but data are currently insufficient to predict growth behaviour, and the Listeriosis risk appears to be also governed by additional factors.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

US – Baby Spinach Recall – Salmonella

Posted on May 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FDA 

Taylor Farms Retail, Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of Organic Baby Spinach with the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella following a random test conducted on a finished package of spinach by USDA.

There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items. The “Best By” Code Date for the recalled products can be located on the lower right portion of the front label. These recalled items were distributed from Taylor Farms Retail, Inc. on May 9, 2012 and May 10, 2012.

No other products or code dates are affected by this recall. The company is cooperating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regarding this recall.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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Cruise Ship “HMS Holby City”- Norovirus

Posted on May 22, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Mail Online

Scores of passengers on board a luxury cruise liner have had their £2,000 holidays ruined by a sickness outbreak. Around 170 passengers on the Boudicca were hit by the suspected norovirus during its 13-night trip to the Canary Islands. The virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea, is highly contagious and those infected were quarantined during the doomed voyage.

The ship, carrying around 828 passengers and 348 crew, was greeted by NHS staff and ambulance crews when it docked in Greenock, Scotland last night.

One passenger told the Daily Mirror: ‘We started calling the ship HMS Holby City.

‘There were two nurses wandering around all the time visiting people, most of them elderly.

‘Half the facilities were shut down and we were even told not to swap quiz sheets to stop the bug spreading.

‘Passengers were offered £150 discounts on their next cruise. We don’t know anyone who accepted.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

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