Category Archives: Microbial growth

Quebec – Notice not to consume DOM brand smoked salmon sold by Val-Mont – Food Safety

Posted on January 27, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Quebec

QUEBEC CITY , Jan. 26, 2023 /CNW Telbec/ – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with the Food Inspection Division of the City of Montreal and the company Val-Mont, located at 3930, rue Ontario Est, in Montreal, advises the public not to consume the product indicated in the table below, because its safety is no longer assured. Indeed, the company did not respect the preservation requirements of the manufacturer.

Product name

Format

Affected lot

“Smoked Steelhead Salmon”

70g

Units sold until January 25, 2023

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

USA -CDC – Food Safety for Buffets and Parties

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CDC

What You Need to Know

  • Separate raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs from ready-to-eat foods.
  • Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a temperature hot enough to kill germs.
  • Germs that can make you sick grow quickly when food is in the “Danger Zone,” between 40°F and 140°F.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Divide leftovers into smaller portions to cool faster.

Gathering friends and family is fun, but beware of uninvited party guests. Foodborne germs can crash your buffet and make people sick with food poisoning. When cooking, preparing, or serving food for large groups, it’s important to keep food safe. Follow these steps to keep foodborne germs from spoiling your party.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, food safety training, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Research shows Listeria species developing resistance to disinfectants used in food industry

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety Africa

SOUTH AFRICA – A study conducted in South Africa and recently published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum has concluded that Listeria innocua strains are developing resistance to temperature, pH, dehydration, and other stresses. 

Listeria monocytogenes is extensively monitored in the food processing business since it can be fatal to people.

The infection not only has the potential to make people very ill, but it is also now known to be building resistance to many food safety measures globally.

The study used whole-genome sequencing to provide insights into two species of presumed nonpathogenic Listeria—L. innocua and L. welshimeri.

Some of the L. innocua and L. welshimeri strains tested for the study exhibited three genes for resistance to a common disinfectant from the class of chemicals known as quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC or QUAT).

The study included 258 isolates from butcheries, abbatoirs, retail establishments, cold storage facilities, and processing facilities located throughout South Africa.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Disinfection Resistance, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

India – Norovirus Outbreak: 62 Students Infected in Kerala

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Zee News

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The Kerala Health Department on Monday (January 24) confirmed two cases of the gastrointestinal infection norovirus in class 1 students in Ernakulam district. The two samples were tested after 62 persons — students and their parents — developed symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, a high temperature, headache, and body aches.

The school authorities said that they have the results of drinking water testing for the last four months. The virus infected the children of the E division of the first class. Immediately upon noticing the incident, the health department informed the authorities and once again sent the water for testing. Officials said that the school is completely closed and online classes are being offered.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Virus, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, Virus, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

USA – FDA – Warning Letter – Gold Coast Distributors Inc. dba Shah Distributors

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected your ambient and frozen warehouse and re-packing facility, located at 2325 W. Charter Way, Stockton, CA 95206, from May 09-27, 2022. During our inspection of your facility, the FDA investigators observed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food rule (CGMP & PC rule), Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 117 (21 CFR Part 117). At the conclusion of the inspection, the FDA investigators issued a Form FDA 483 (FDA-483), Inspectional Observations, listing the deviations found at your firm. In addition, during the inspection, FDA collected filth samples from various areas within your warehouse facility, and the analytical results revealed rodent, insect, or cat filth present all throughout your facility.

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Posted in FDA, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Jordan – Seven family members suffer food poisoning in Amman

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Roya News

A spokesperson from the directorate told Amen FM Wednesday that the spoiled food they ate was bought from outside the house.

They were taken to hospital where they were treated from symptoms such as nausea and abdominal pain.

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Spoilage, Foodborne Illness, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning

EU – Entry into force of the new maximum limits for Ochratoxin A

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

ACSA

In January 2023, the new maximum limits of ochratoxin A in certain foods approved in August by Commission Regulation (UE) 2022/1370 of August 5, 2022 will come into force, amending Regulation (EC) nº 1881 /2006 regarding the maximum content of ochratoxin A in certain food products .

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin produced naturally by fungi of the genera  Aspergillus  and  Penicillium  and is found as a contaminant in a wide variety of foods, such as cereals and cereal-based products, coffee beans, dried fruits, wine and grape juice, spices and licorice. Ochratoxin A is formed during drying in the sun and storage of crops. Formation can be avoided by applying good drying and storage practices.

Regulation (EC) nº1881/2006 already established the maximum content of ochratoxin A for certain foods. This new regulation:

Establish maximum limit of ochratoxin A for:

  • Nuts other than raisins.
  • Certain licorice products.
  • dry herbs
  • Certain ingredients for infusions.
  • Certain oleaginous seeds.
  • pistachios
  • Cocoa powder
  • Malt-based non-alcoholic drinks

Reduces the existing maximum limits of ochratoxin A for:

  • Bakery products.
  • raisins
  • roasted coffee
  • instant coffee

In addition, it extends to all species the provisions in force relating to ochratoxin A in certain species. 

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Ochratoxin A

Experts to meet and discuss Campylobacter control

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are holding a meeting on Campylobacter in poultry next month.

Several experts from the United States are attending, including Bing Wang from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Marcos Sanchez-Plata of Texas Tech University; Catherine Logue at the University of Georgia. Also attending are Nicol Janecko, from the Quadram Institute, and Alessandra De Cesare from the University of Bologna.

Poultry meat has been identified as one of the most important food vehicles for Campylobacter contamination.

In a 2015 report on the global burden of foodborne disease, WHO estimated that in 2010 Campylobacter caused more than 95 million illnesses and 21,374 deaths.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

USA – FDA Core Investigation Update

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

There are no new outbreaks this week but two are still active.

12/28/2022 1137 Salmonella
Typhimurium		 Alfalfa Sprouts See
Outbreak
Advisory
11/9/2022 1127 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Enoki
Mushrooms		 See
Outbreak
Advisory

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, FDA, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

India – North Paravoor food poisoning caused by Salmonella Enteritidis – 100 + Cases

Posted on January 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

New Indian Express

Infection mostly caused by consumption of stale meat, chicken, egg and its products

The health department has found that salmonellosis, a disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella Enteritidis, is behind the food poisoning from a hotel in North Paravoor last week. Around 106 persons who consumed mayonnaise, al-faham, manthi, fried rice and peri-peri manthi from Majlis Hotel contracted the disease.

The samples were tested at the Government Medical College, Kalamaserry after several people started showing symptoms like diarrhoea, stomach upset, fever, nausea and vomiting 5 to 6 hours after consuming food.

Around 196 food poisoning cases were reported in the district this month. Following this, the district medical officer has alerted the public, catering services, hotels and food suppliers to avoid preparation of food in unhygienic conditions.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Poisoning, Salmonella