Category Archives: Microbiological Risk Assessment

Scotland mulls pathogen action levels

Food Safety News

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is considering introducing thresholds for action for some pathogens based on either a UK or Scottish approach.

Using targets based on reported infections of key pathogens could help monitor trends and be used as a trigger to act. However, figures would need to be interpreted carefully because of underreporting, inability to separate food and non-food sources, changes in demographics, and impacts of year to year fluctuations in environmental factors, such as weather.

When reported cases breach the threshold, different steps would be considered including an investigation to identify reasons behind the increase; additional food sampling associated with the pathogen and risk communication to consumers using tailored messages.

FSS currently uses Public Health Scotland data on confirmed laboratory reports for five pathogens to monitor how foodborne illness is changing.

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Raw Cookie Dough (May 2023)

FDA

Product 

Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake raw Chocolate Chip Cookie and S’mores Bars dough purchased before May 23, 2023.

FDA’s investigation is complete and the outbreak is over.

Stores Affected

  • Papa Murphy’s Stores Nationwide

Symptoms of Salmonella Infection

Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually lasts four to seven days. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Children younger than five, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections.

Status

Ended

Recommendation

  • Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie and S’mores Bars dough are not meant to be eaten raw.
  • This outbreak appears to be over; however, consumers should check their refrigerators and freezers for Papa Murphy’s Chocolate Chip Cookie and S’mores Bars dough purchased before May 23, 2023 and should throw it away.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of Salmonella infection.

Raw Dough Safety Tips

  • Due to the potential for contamination, never eat any raw dough that is supposed to be cooked or baked.
  • Always wash hands and clean and sanitize work surfaces and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough or batter.
  • Keep raw food or dough separate from other foods while preparing them to prevent any possible contamination from spreading.
  • More information is available on the FDA website.

Current Update

July 13, 2023

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to Chocolate Chip Cookie and S’mores Bars dough sold at Papa Murphy’s franchises and purchased before May 23, 2023.

FDA conducted a traceback investigation and identified two suppliers of interest. FDA and several state partners collected samples at both suppliers, and state partners also collected retail samples at several Papa Murphy’s stores. All samples collected were reported as negative for Salmonella contamination. As of July 13, 2023, CDC announced that the outbreak is over. CDC reports a total of 26 illnesses in six states. The last illness onset was May 22, 2023. FDA’s investigation is complete.

In response to this investigation, Papa Murphy’s notified franchise owners nationwide and stopped selling all Chocolate Chip Cookie dough and S’mores Bars dough at all stores and stopped using unprepared dry cookie dough mixes dating back through April 2023 to ensure any potentially contaminated ingredients are not used. As of July 13, 2023, Papa Murphy’s has not restarted sales of cookie dough. Additionally, the firm is reviewing their dessert menu items and labels to further enhance instructions to consumers to emphasize that their products are not intended to be eaten raw.

RASFF Alert – Animal Feed – Mold/Mould – Wheat Bran Pellets

RASFF

Wheat bran pellets for animal feed with molds and moisture – Angola in Portugal

RASFF Alerts – Animal Feed – Salmonella – Rapeseed Extraction Meal

RASFF

Salmonella spp. in rapeseed extraction meal (feed) from Germany in Spain and Switzerland

English Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs from Poland

Food Safety News

hazegg.jpg

A Salmonella outbreak in England that sickened more than 60 people earlier this year has been linked to eggs from Poland.

Samples from patients are also similar to previously reported isolates that fall into a cluster that is part of several national and international investigations.

There were 65 cases associated with the English outbreak; 25 confirmed and 18 probable infections linked to a restaurant, ten confirmed with unknown links to the establishment, and 12 with no link to the restaurant.

The outbreak linked to the unnamed restaurant was reported to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) East of England Health Protection Team in early April. UKHSA was notified of multiple cases of gastroenteritis following food consumption at the site, with attendance or takeaway dates in late March, according to a study published in the journal Eurosurveillance.

Denmark – Wrong expiration date on yogurt

Foedevarestyrelsen

Image of Gazi yogurt

Unifood Import A/S is recalling a batch of Gazi yoghurt due to an incorrect expiry date and thus risk of growth of micro-organisms. The product should be returned to the store where it was purchased or discarded

Gazi Yoghurt 3.5% (see picture)
Best before: 15 July 2023

The product is sold in: Specialty shops throughout the country 

Research – Molecular and Genetic Characterization of Colicinogenic Escherichia coli Strains Active against Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7

MDPI

Abstract

The objective of this work was to molecularly and genotypically characterize and test the inhibitory activity of six colicinogenic Escherichia coli strains (ColEc) and their partially purified colicins against STEC O157:H7 isolated from clinical human cases. Inhibition tests demonstrated the activity of these strains and their colicins against STEC O157:H7. By PCR it was possible to detect colicins Ia, E7, and B and microcins M, H47, C7, and J25. By genome sequencing of two selected ColEc strains, it was possible to identify additional colicins such as E1 and Ib. No genes coding for stx1 and stx2 were detected after analyzing the genome sequence. The inhibitory activity of ColEc against STEC O157:H7 used as an indicator showed that colicins are potent growth inhibitors of E. coli O157:H7, being a potential alternative to reduce the presence of pathogens of public health relevance.

Multinational outbreak of Salmonella virchow ST16 infections associated with consumption of meat products containing chicken meat

ACSA

Since June 2017, there is a persistent cross-border outbreak of Salmonella virchow ST16 to five countries in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). .

A total of 210 cases have been reported to the following countries: Denmark (2), France (111), Germany (26), Ireland (4), the Netherlands (34), the United Kingdom (32) and the United States (1) . Hospitalization rates range from 16.7% (2/12) in the UK, to 29.4% (5/17) and 38.5% (10/26) in France and Germany, respectively.

No deaths have been reported. Most of the cases have been linked to local restaurants serving kebab meat. The number of confirmed cases represents only a small proportion of all infections in the EU/EEA, partly because of different genome sequencing (WGS) capacities by countries.

New infections are likely to occur in the EU/EEA affecting any age group, until further investigation is carried out to identify the sources and points of contamination along the chicken meat production chain.

Research – Antibacterial Effects of Theaflavins against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella paratyphi B: Role of Environmental Factors and Food Matrices

MDPI

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different environmental factors (temperature, pH, and NaCl) and food matrices (skimmed milk powder, lecithin, and sucrose) on the antibacterial activity of theaflavins (TFs) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Salmonella paratyphi B (S. paratyphi B). TFs showed a larger diameter of inhibition zone (DIZ, 12.58 ± 0.09 mm–16.36 ± 0.12 mm) value against S. aureus than that of S. paratyphi B (12.42 ± 0.43 mm–15.81 ± 0.24 mm) at the same concentration (2–10 mg/mL). When temperatures were 25–121 °C, the DIZ of TFs against both S. aureus and S. paratyphi B was not significantly different. As pH increased from 2 to 10, their DIZ values decreased significantly from 16.78 ± 0.23 mm to 13.43 ± 0.08 mm and 15.63 ± 0.42 mm to 12.18 ± 0.14 mm, respectively. Their DIZ values increased slightly as the NaCl concentration increased from 0.2 mol/L to 0.8 mol/L, while their DIZ values decreased significantly for skimmed milk powder concentrations in the range of 60–120 g/L. Regarding the concentrations of lecithin and sucrose were 2–12 g/L and 10–60 g/L, their DIZ values showed no significant change against S. paratyphi B, but an increased trend for S. aureus. Under the above different environmental factors and food matrices, TFs maintained excellent antibacterial activity against S. aureus and S. paratyphi B, providing a theoretical guidance for applying TFs as novel antibacterial additives in the food industry.

Australia – Research – A1243 Harmonisation of marine biotoxin standards for bivalve shellfish 

FSANZ

To review the current biotoxin (DST and PST) maximum levels (MLs) for bivalve molluscs in Schedule 19 to Standard 1.4.1 of the Code, with the aim of harmonising with Codex MLs for bivalve molluscs (CXS 292-2008).​

​ Call for submissions ​​​

Call for submissions (pdf 507 kb)​​(word 156 kb)

Supporting document 1 – known cases(pdf 302 kb)​​​(word 132 kb)

Supporting document 2 – costs and benefits(pdf 402 kb)​​​​  (word 138 kb)​​​

Administrative Assessment – 23 December 2021(pdf 235 kb)​​​​  (word 65.8 kb)​​​

Executive Summary (pdf 221 kb) ​​

Application (pdf 11.6 mb) ​​

Application – additional information (pdf 349 kb) ​​​

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