Diamond Pet Foods is expanding a voluntary recall to include one production run and four production codes of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light formula dry dog food. One bag of the product has tested positive for Salmonella, and the recall of the four production codes is being conducted as a precautionary measure. No dog illnesses have been reported.
Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pet Food, Salmonella
According to Kentucky news media, as many as three Stanford Elementary School kindergarten students may have contracted E. coli according to Ronnie Deatherage, director of operations for the Lincoln County Public Schools. State and local health officials are investigating the case and have examined the elementary school cafeteria without finding a cause. Two of the 5-year-olds became ill within the last few days, Deatheridge said. They are being treated at University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
In 2010, there was a 13.6% decrease in the number of reported cases of listeriosis with a total of 159 cases reported in England and Wales. This decline continued in 2011 with a further 7.5% decrease resulting in 147 reported cases. In 2011, 82% of cases were non-pregnancy related while 16% were pregnancy related; this represents a 6.4% increase in pregnancy related cases from the previous year. However, the number of pregnancy related cases is within observed levels and this proportional difference is likely in part, to be a result of fewer non pregnancy-related cases. Nevertheless, the number of pregnancy related cases is higher than previous years with the exception of 2009 (figure 1). An increase in pregnancy related listeriosis cases amongst ethnic minorities since 2006 in England and Wales has also been reported [3].
NHS Below is an extract there is more information through this link.
Listeriosis is an infection that usually develops after eating food that’s been contaminated by bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes, which is commonly known as Listeria.
In most people, listeriosis is mild and causes flu-like symptoms or vomiting and diarrhoea (gastroenteritis). Read more about the symptoms of listeriosis.
Symptoms usually pass within three days without the need for treatment.
However, in rare cases, the infection can spread to other parts of your body and cause serious complications, such as meningitis (infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord). Doctors describe this as invasive listeriosis.
If this is the case, you’ll need to be treated with antibiotics in hospital for several weeks.
The government has launched an awareness campaign for the first time in Bangladesh to improve household food safety and hygiene practices.
The campaign on ‘washing and cleaning during food preparation’ targets rural women who are primarily responsible for preparing family meals and feeding infants.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) supported the campaign based on their study findings that showed only 14 percent people in the homes wash hands with soap before preparing food, while only 26 percent know it can remove harmful germs.
Alfa Sprouts Inc. of Honeoye Falls, NY is recalling approx. 100 lbs of Springwater Sprouts brand Organic Alfalfa Sprouts and bulk 3# Clover Sprouts because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections to individuals with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The following 2 products are being recalled by the firm.
The contamination was discovered after sampling under the USDA Microbiological Data Program by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets inspectors and subsequent analysis by the New York State Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the product. No illness has been reported to date.
LA Star Seafood Co. Inc., Los Angeles, CA is recalling Vobla Dry and Vobla Smoked because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.
The sale of improperly eviscerated fish, 5 inches in length or greater, is prohibited because Clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish. Uneviscerated fish has been linked to outbreaks of botulism poisoning which may pose a potentially life-threatening health hazard. Symptoms of botulism include blurred or double vision, general weakness, poor reflexes, difficulty swallowing and respiratory paralysis which may lead to death. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.
The following products are recalled:
Vobla Dry, 20lb bulk boxes, not vacuum packed, no lot numbers or expiration dates.
Vobla Smoked, 20lb bulk boxes, not vacuum packed, no lot numbers or expiration dates.
The Reportable Food Registry is an electronic portal where food companies report issues with a food where that food is likely to cause illness. This report has a lot of interesting data about the break down of which commodities caused food safety issues.
Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Research, Toxin
Tagged environment, health
BBSRC-funded researchers at Cambridge University have shed new light on a common food poisoning bug. Using real-time video microscopy, coupled with mathematical modelling, they have changed our assumptions about Salmonella and how it infects human cells. The research was published in Interface.
Their research found that many incorrect assumptions had been made about Salmonella infection, particularly that macrophages are highly susceptible to infection. Their data showed that infection occurrences after initial contact between a bacterium and macrophage were low. The probability of that bacterium infecting the cell is less than 5 per cent. However, they also showed that an infected macrophage can be reinfected by a second bacterium. The concept of reinfection by Salmonella had not been considered before and this previously overlooked mechanism may make an important contribution to total bacterial numbers in infection studies.
The study also highlighted the fact that some cells are far more susceptible to infection than others. Rather than grouping all macrophages together in terms of their susceptibility to infection, the research shows that there is a spectrum of susceptibility.
Posted in Bacteria, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Research, Salmonella
Tagged health, research, salmonella infection, science
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