Category Archives: Hygiene

US – Organic Alfalfa Sprouts Salmonella Recall

Posted on June 28, 2012 by | 1 comment

FDA

As a precautionary measure, Banner Mountain Sprouts is voluntarily recalling organic sprouts under the following names: 4oz. zesty greens, 5oz. sprout salad, 4oz. clover, 2lb. clover, 4oz. alfalfa/broccoli, 4oz. alfalfa sprouts, and 1lb. & 2lb. alfalfa sprouts because they may be contaminated with salmonella. Routine testing showed signs of salmonella and Banner Mountain Sprouts was notified of possible contamination.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause an acute infection that can have symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Symptoms usually develop within one to four days after eating contaminated food. Most cases resolve without the need for medical attention. However, some individuals develop a serious illness that can lead to hospitalization.

The sprouts were distributed through retail stores and wholesalers in California. The products come in a 4 or 5 oz. clear, plastic, clamshell container and a 1lb. or 2lb. ziplock bag with a sell by date from 6/17/12 to 7/6/12. No illnesses have been associated with any Banner Mountain sprouts.

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

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US – Multistate Salmonelle Montevideo – Live Poultry

Posted on June 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

At least 66 people have fallen ill in 20 states in a Salmonella Montevideo outbreak linked to live poultry from a Missouri hatchery, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. Sixteen people have been hospitalized while one infected person in Missouri has died, though Salmonella infection was not considered a contributing factor to the person’s death.

Live poultry, such as baby chicks and ducklings, can transmit Salmonella to humans via direct contact. The CDC advises not to kiss or snuggle live poultry and not to let children handle them. Those who do handle live poultry should wash their hands immediately afterwards.
 
This is the second outbreak associated with live poultry this year in the USA.
 
 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Hand Washing, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

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US Bans Korean Shellfish – Faecal Matter – Norovirus

Posted on June 16, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Korean shellfish is not safe to eat and Korea has been removed from the U.S. list of approved  shellfish shippers after officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered unsanitary conditions  that exposed molluscan growing areas to human fecal matter, norovirus and pollution, the agency announced yesterday.

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

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US – Kent County Jail – Clostridium perfringens Poisoning

Posted on May 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

According to Lisa LaPlante, Communications and Marketing Manager of the Kent County Department of Health, the source of the April 15, 2012 food poisoning outbreak at the Kent County Jail has been discovered.

Laboratory tests have revealed that there was Clostridium perfringens, a spore-producing bacteria, in a rice and cheese product. The food was prepared, chilled, and then reheated and served to the inmates.

All 250 inmates who were sickened have recovered. No one was hospitalised during this outbreak. Other food samples have been sent to the lab for testing because this was such a large outbreak. Officials expect it will be another month or two before the investigation is complete.

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

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FSA – Olympic Food Safety Campaign Launch

Posted on April 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA

The Food Standards Agency has launched the Play it Safe campaign, to raise awareness of food safety during the London 2012 Games. The Agency is working with food businesses and food safety enforcement officers to ensure all food sold, cooked and eaten during the Games is safe.

The first strand of the campaign focuses on the Food Safety Squad, the 10 environmental health officers acting as ambassadors for food safety. They represent the hundreds of environmental health officers around the country who are carrying out vital work to keep visitors to the Games safe and healthy.

The campaign highlights the Agency measures being undertaken to minimise the risk of food safety incidents occurring during London 2012. These include a food safety coaching programme for small businesses in Olympic areas that are in need of improvement; funding and training initiatives for local authorities in Olympic areas; and providing extra equipment for sampling and checks on cleaning.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Spoilage, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen

Dirty Money!

Posted on March 8, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Dr. Ron Cutler, a biomedical scientist in London specialising in infectious diseases and their control and treatment, has run studies at Queen Mary – University of London, proving that such things as restaurant high chairs and your car’s steering wheel are likely to have more germs than a public toilet seat.

Now he’s examined 200 bills of currency (British bank notes) and 45 credit cards and discovered that 26 per cent of the notes and 47 per cent of the cards had high levels of bacteria. In other words, money and credit cards are dirtier than a toilet seat.

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Posted in Bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen

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US – Norovirus Outbreak – 85 Cases

Posted on February 17, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Washington Post

George Washington University officials alerted the campus Wednesday that about 85 students were infected by norovirus this week.

After testing by the university’s Student Health Service and D.C. Department of Health, officials confirmed that norovirus was the cause of dozens of cases of gastrointestinal illness since Monday, university officials said in a prepared release. They said they could find no common link for the infections, as students were affected who live at the Foggy Bottom campus, the Mount Vernon campus and off campus.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hygiene, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

Food Safety Issues – Spices in India

Posted on February 13, 2012 by | 2 comments

Business Standard 

Indian spice traders and producers are facing challenges like food safety, sustainability and traceability. Food safety regulations are affecting spice exports especially to the countries like Germany, France, England, Japan and Australia. India is biggest producer and exporter of spices in the world. As the regulations varies from country-to-country, it is becoming hard to maintain all the required standards.

Geemon Korah, CEO, Kancor Ingredients Ltd said, “These regulations are badly hitting our export markets. Therefore sustainability is a major issue.

The maximum containers are rejected from European countries, Japan and Australia. We are largest exporter of chilli and ginger to these countries.”

Among the major spices exported from India, chilli contributes 132,500 tonnes occupies the first place. Other major spices that are exported from India include turmeric (58,000 tonnes), Cumin (26,500 tonnes), Coriander (18,200 tonnes), Pepper (17,000) , Fenugreek (14,700 tonnes), Ginger (11, 250 tonnes) , Fennel (5,100 tonnes ), Nutmeg & mace (2,550 tonnes), celery (2,450 tonnes) , Cardamom small (3,100 tonnes) and Cardamom Large (475 tonnes), Garlic (1075 tonnes).

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Posted in EU2073, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen

More US Norovirus – Cheeleaders and Subway

Posted on February 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Cheerleaders

Health officials confirmed Friday that a fast-acting gut bug known as norovirus is responsible for an outbreak of illness that sickened more than 200 people gathered for a cheerleading championship in Washington state last weekend.

Results of state laboratory tests showed that that the nasty group of viruses caused the short-but-severe vomiting and diarrhea that affected some people who participated in and attended the state championship and Salute to Spirit cheerleading, dance and drill team event held in Everett, Wash. Norovirus is typically spread through person-to-person contact.

Subway

Most of the 100-plus people infected with norovirus last month had eaten at a local Subway franchise.

But an investigation by the Blackford County Health Department was unable to determine whether a customer or an employee spread the virus, also known as a stomach bug and food poisoning.

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

Ukranian Herring Fillet Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on February 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Listeria Blog

ZIP INTERNATIONAL GROUP LLC, 160 Raritan Center Parkway #6, Edison, NJ 08837 is expanding its recall of sliced herring fillet (forelka) 330 gram and 600 gram in plastic packaging due to Listeria contamination.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Recall