Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

Toxoplasma Research Link to Severe Illness in Newborns

Eurek Alert

Although this may not at first appear to be food linked, it is estimated that in the USA and Europe 50% of Toxoplamsma infections are via food.

Scientists have identified which strains of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, the cause of toxoplasmosis, are most strongly associated with premature births and severe birth defects in the United States. The researchers used a new blood test developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, to pinpoint T. gondii strains that children acquire from their acutely infected mothers while in the womb.

Pregnant women can become infected with T. gondii through contact with cat feces that contain infectious forms of the parasite or by eating undercooked meat. Women who become infected while pregnant may miscarry, give birth prematurely, or have babies with eye or brain damage.

US – California Company – Seafood Importer Closure – Listeria monocytogenes

Food Safety News 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says a California seafood importer and processor has agreed to shut down its operations while it corrects conditions in its processing facility, which is alleged to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Report into Salmonella and Campylobacter In Senegal Households

Wiley Online 

“We used a quantitative microbiological risk assessment model to describe the risk of Campylobacter and Salmonella infection linked to chicken meals prepared in households in Dakar, Senegal. The model uses data collected specifically for this study, such as the prevalence and level of bacteria on the neck skin of chickens bought in Dakar markets, time-temperature profiles recorded from purchase to consumption, an observational survey of meal preparation in private kitchens, and detection and enumeration of pathogens on kitchenware and cooks’ hands. Thorough heating kills all bacteria present on chicken during cooking, but cross-contamination of cooked chicken or ready-to-eat food prepared for the meal via kitchenware and cooks’ hands leads to a high expected frequency of pathogen ingestion. Additionally, significant growth of Salmonella is predicted during food storage at ambient temperature before and after meal preparation. These high exposures lead to a high estimated risk of campylobacteriosis and/or salmonellosis in Dakar households. The public health consequences could be amplified by the high level of antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella and Campylobacter observed in this setting. A significant decrease in the number of ingested bacteria and in the risk could be achieved through a reduction of the prevalence of chicken contamination at slaughter, and by the use of simple hygienic measures in the kitchen. There is an urgent need to reinforce the hygiene education of food handlers in Senegal.”

US Recall E.coli O157 – Tenderised Beef

USDA Recall 

Town and Country Foods Inc., a Greene, Maine establishment, is recalling approximately 2,057 pounds of ground and tenderised beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The problem was discovered through company lab testing which confirmed a positive result for E.coli O157:H7. The company did not hold product pending test results, resulting in this recall. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

It will be interesting to see if in the future both in the USA and UK if more testing for STEC E.coli will result in raw meat withdrawals.

US Recall Uneviscerated Fish – Clostridium botulinum

FDA Recall

April 10, 2012 – Import Foods Wholesale Inc. in St. Paul, MN is recalling: Smoked Croaker, Smoked Barracuda, Smoked Big Eye, and Smoked Red Snapper after it was discovered by the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture Laboratory personnel who confirmed that the product was not properly eviscerated prior to processing.

This product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause botulism, a serious and potentially fatal food–borne illness.

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 recalled products were sold to retail stores in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.

  • Smoked Croaker comes in a 10lb cardboard box with a code: 298/11 and is a product of Guyana
  • Smoked Barracuda comes in a 10lb cardboard box with a code: 0282/011 and is a product of Guyana.
  • Smoked Big Eye comes in a 10lb cardboard box with a code: 287L10 and is product of Guyana.
  • Smoked Red Snapper comes in a 10lb cardboard box with a code: 298-11 is a product of Guyana.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. Consumers who have Smoked Croaker, Smoked Barracuda, Smoked Big Eye, and Smoked Red Snapper are advised not to eat it, but should return it to the place of purchase.

Import Foods Wholesale Inc. intend to provide safe quality foods. Consumer with questions may contact the company at 612-876-5412.

 

Two Food Poisoning Incidents in India – 300 Cases +

Food Safety 

JEWAR (GREATER NOIDA): More than 150 people, including women and children, were taken ill due to suspected food poisoning after eating at a ‘shraddh’ ceremony at Chiroli village near Jewar on Monday. District authorities said the food served for lunch might have caused the food poisoning. An investigation has been ordered into the matter. Locals state that as many as 300 were taken ill.

PUNE: Barring 12 children, 120 students of the municipal school at Janata Vasahat in Parvati, who suffered food poisoning on Saturday, were discharged on Sunday. A total of 132 students were admitted to different hospitals on Saturday after they complained of vomiting and nausea after they ate food served under the mid-day meal scheme.

Salmonellla Newport – Polish Chicken in Denmark

RASFF

Chicken breast fillet from Poland has been withdrawn from the market, distribution status and product codes are not yet available.

 

China Life Ban for Food Safety Crimes

China Daily 

People convicted of crimes related to food safety in the capital will be banned from the food industry for life, under a draft amendment to the Beijing Food Safety Regulation.

The new draft, which aims to achieve tougher punishment for food safety crimes and violations, was released for public comment over the weekend.

The public can visit the websites of the city’s food safety office or legal affairs office to register opinions, or send comments by post to either office, by April 25.

Under the current regulations, which took effect in 2007, people whose licenses are revoked are banned from the food business for three years. The amendment would extend the ban to five years.

Indiana – Norovirus Outbreak – 107 Sick

Food Poisoning Bulletin

According to the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health in Indiana, 107 people who ate at Cebolla’s Mexican Grill in Fort Wayne have been sickened by norovirus. The original report in March recorded 20 illnesses.

The restaurant, which is located at 5930 West Jefferson Boulevard in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been cooperating with the investigation. The restaurant closed back in March for cleaning and disinfecting.

US – Tuna Sushi – Salmonella Outbreak Expands – Virginia/Baltimore

Food Poisoning Bulletin – Virginia 

Five Virginians are among the 100 victims of a Salmonella outbreak that is spreading through 19 states and the District of Columbia.

The case patients in Virginia are between the ages of 20 and 59 and are from the central and northwest part of the state, Michelle Stoll, a public information officer for the Virginia Department of Health, told Food Poisoning Bulletin today. None of the patients has required hospitalisation.

All 100 patients have been sickened by a rare strain of Salmonella called Salmonella Bareilly. Salmonella poisoning can be serious and sometimes life-threatening, according to the CDC. Health officials urge anyone with symptoms including abdominal cramping, fever, nausea,vomiting, and bloody diarrhoea.

Food Poisoning Bulletin – Baltimore

At least 10 Maryland residents are among the 100 people who have been sickened by a Salmonella outbreak that has swept through 19 states and the District of Columbia.

A definite source of the outbreak has still not been identified, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but sushi, sashimi and other raw fish dishes are among potential sources being investigated