Category Archives: Microbiological Risk Assessment

Research- Three clusters of Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 infections linked to chicken meat and chicken meat products

Posted on October 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

From 1 January–24 October 2023, 335 laboratory-confirmed Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 cases belonging to three distinct microbiological clusters have been reported in 14 EU/EEA countries, the United Kingdom and the United States, affecting all age groups. Most interviewed cases reported consumption of chicken meat, including chicken kebabs. Nine cases in three countries were hospitalised and one case in Austria died, highlighting the potential for severe and fatal infections from this outbreak. Following the food exposure information and the national investigations in 2023, the food safety authorities in Austria, Denmark and Italy investigated 10 food products (six contaminated by Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 cluster 1 and/or cluster 2), seven final producers in Poland and one in Austria. Traceability information revealed that three Salmonella-contaminated kebabs shared a number of Polish food business operators. The trading link of the suspected kebab suggests one or more common source(s)/point(s) of contamination in Austria, Denmark, and Italy. Following the collection of genomic information, the cluster analysis revealed the presence of the outbreak strains in the food chain in multiple European countries. Most positive foods sampled in 2022–2023 with shared epidemiological data originated from Poland. Given the information collected, contaminated chicken kebab and chicken meat are the plausible vehicles of the human infections reported in these three clusters. In the absence of conclusive microbiological evidence and comprehensive traceability, the role of the identified final producers, their meat suppliers, and the possible involvement of other food business operators as sources of the infections could not be confirmed or excluded. Further investigations are needed to identify the root cause of the contamination and the source of infections, which is crucial for prompt implementation of targeted effective control and corrective measures. As the source(s) have not been identified, new cases are likely to occur in this prolonged multi-country outbreak.

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

Norway – Outbreak of Salmonella infection

Posted on October 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Matportalen

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has been notified by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health about a national outbreak of the gastrointestinal bacterium Salmonella Napoli. So far, infection has been detected in seven people. The source of infection is not known.

An outbreak investigation has been initiated in collaboration between the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the Veterinary Institute and municipal chief medical officers. It is currently unknown what the source of infection is, but it is common for gastrointestinal bacteria to become infected through food. According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the most common symptoms are diarrhoea, headache, abdominal pain, nausea and possibly fever.

– The Norwegian Food Safety Authority collects information from the sick persons about what they have eaten and what they have been in contact with. It may also be relevant to take samples of food and food packaging, says Anne Mæland, senior advisor in the biological food safety section of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Outbreak investigation takes time and the work is complicated. It is not always possible to find the source of infection in such outbreaks. If a common source of infection from food, animals or the environment is identified, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will follow up the tracing work along the food chain.

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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, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

Research – Pathogen that plagues food processing plants eradicated by blue light – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on October 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

News Wise

Newswise — Washington, D.C. – Blue light kills both dried cells and biofilms of the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, a frequent contaminant of food processing facilities. Demise of L. monocytogenes occurred quickest when cells or biofilms were placed on polystyrene, a widely used, transparent form of plastic. The research is published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

“These results contribute to advancing our understanding of the potential of blue light to treat inert surfaces contaminated with L. monocytogenes,” said corresponding author Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, Ph.D., Director and Professor, Center for Food Safety, University of Georgia. Although biofilms of pathogens are generally powerfully resistant to being exterminated, the results suggest that blue light could effectively destroy L. monocytogenes.

In the study, the investigators deposited liquid suspensions of mixtures of 5 strains of L. monocytogenes on small, sterile rectangular plates made of 6 different materials, including polystyrene, stainless steel and silicone rubber, which were then allowed to dry. The investigators also used similar plates to grow biofilms, which they also allowed to dry.

Then, they shined blue light onto the biofilms and onto the dried suspensions of cells on the plates to determine the most effective combinations of doses and wavelengths, as well as the most effective surfaces on which to extirpate the pathogens.

“The application of blue light for controlling microbial contamination has the potential to offer an additional technology that could complement existing methods for disinfecting surfaces in contact with foods,” said Diez-Gonzalez, noting that blue light has been used for disinfection in hospitals. As compared to ultraviolet light, blue light offers reduced risk for the user, he said.

A post-doc in Diez-Gonzalez’ laboratory, Fereidoun Forghani, Ph.D., kick-started the investigation when—searching for new ideas—he came across the use of blue light as a potential antimicrobial intervention to sanitize surfaces. Forghani built some blue light prototypes and produced the first preliminary results treating pure cultures of Listeria.

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

Research – Analysis of Escherichia coli O157 strains in cattle and humans between Scotland and England & Wales: implications for human health

Posted on October 19, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Microbiology Research

ABSTRACT

For the last two decades, the human infection frequency of  O157 (O157) in Scotland has been 2.5-fold higher than in England and Wales. Results from national cattle surveys conducted in Scotland and England and Wales in 2014/2015 were combined with data on reported human clinical cases from the same time frame to determine if strain differences in national populations of O157 in cattle could be associated with higher human infection rates in Scotland. Shiga toxin subtype (Stx) and phage type (PT) were examined within and between host (cattle vs human) and nation (Scotland vs England and Wales). For a subset of the strains, whole genome sequencing (WGS) provided further insights into geographical and host association. All three major O157 lineages (I, II, I/II) and most sub-lineages (Ia, Ib, Ic, IIa, IIb, IIc) were represented in cattle and humans in both nations. While the relative contribution of different reservoir hosts to human infection is unknown, WGS analysis indicated that the majority of O157 diversity in human cases was captured by isolates from cattle. Despite comparable cattle O157 prevalence between nations, strain types were localized. PT21/28 (sub-lineage Ic, Stx2a+) was significantly more prevalent in Scottish cattle [odds ratio (OR) 8.7 (2.3–33.7; <0.001] and humans [OR 2.2 (1.5–3.2); <0.001]. In England and Wales, cattle had a significantly higher association with sub-lineage IIa strains [PT54, Stx2c; OR 5.6 (1.27–33.3); =0.011] while humans were significantly more closely associated with sub-lineage IIb [PT8, Stx1 and Stx2c; OR 29 (4.9–1161); <0.001]. Therefore, cattle farms in Scotland were more likely to harbour Stx2a+O157 strains compared to farms in E and W (<0.001). There was evidence of limited cattle strain migration between nations and clinical isolates from one nation were more similar to cattle isolates from the same nation, with sub-lineage Ic (mainly PT21/28) exhibiting clear national association and evidence of local transmission in Scotland. While we propose the higher rate of O157 clinical cases in Scotland, compared to England and Wales, is a consequence of the nationally higher level of Stx2a+O157 strains in Scottish cattle, we discuss the multiple additional factors that may also contribute to the different infection rates between these nations.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, eae, Food Microbiology Research, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology Risk, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli, STX 1, STX 2, WGS, Whole Genomic Sequencing

Philippines – Food poisoning

Posted on October 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Mindanao Times

ELEVEN individuals, mostly kids, were rushed to the hospital on Monday evening after they were downed by food poisoning at Sitio Matigsalug, Barangay Marilog, Marilog District.

According to the report, the caretaker Evangeline Palao told investigators that their employer Geraldina Bocuya from Deca Homes Mintal brought spaghetti when she visited their place at noon on Monday.

But after a few hours, the patients complained of stomach ache and started vomiting.

However, Tuazon said they could not yet ascertain if the spaghetti was the cause of the food poisoning or the tubod (spring water).

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

Taiwan – Over 20 Taiwanese elementary students suffer food poisoning from school lunches

Posted on October 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Taiwan News

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As of Saturday (Oct. 14) night, more than 20 elementary students in Keelung City were admitted to the hospital due to food poisoning from school food.

The students, who all attend Shen-Mei Elementary School in Xinyi District, began reporting symptoms of vomiting Friday (Oct. 13) night, with students being admitted to emergency rooms the following day, reported UDN. Investigators suspect that a spoiled milk product served on Friday is responsible for the food poisoning.

Samples of milk, yogurt, and other food items served at the school have been taken for testing to determine the precise origin of the foodborne illness.

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

USA -Another Hepatitis A scare linked to positive food service worker

Posted on October 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a case of hepatitis A in a food service worker at a Portland restaurant.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that can spread through person-to-person contact or contaminated food.

The Maine CDC says the worker was infectious at the Green Elephant Bistro in Portland during the following times:

  • 9/21 (dinner only)
  • 9/23 (lunch and dinner)
  • 9/24 (dinner only)
  • 9/27 (dinner only)
  • 9/28 (lunch and dinner)
  • 9/30 (lunch and dinner)
  • 10/1 (dinner only)
  • 10/4 (dinner only)
  • 10/5 (dinner only)

Customers who ate inside the restaurant during these times could be at risk for hepatitis A.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Virus

India – 16 students hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning at BMC-run school

Posted on October 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Hindustan Times

16 students of a civic-run school in Mumbai were hospitalized due to suspected food poisoning after eating a midday meal provided by Shantai Mahila Industrial Co-operative Society. The affected students are now in stable condition and the food supply operation has ceased.

D Gangadharan, joint commissioner (education), BMC along with Kankal and other officials, visited the hospital to inspect the students’ well-being. Gangadharan said, “We examined the school premises to assess the situation. A sample of the food supplied at the school and other materials that were used in the kitchen has been sent to the BMC laboratory in G/North for testing, and the analysis report is expected shortly.”

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

Research – Pathogenic E. coli in the Food Chain across the Arab Countries: A Descriptive Review

Posted on October 12, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Foodborne bacterial infections caused by pathogens are a widespread problem in the Middle East, leading to significant economic losses and negative impacts on public health. This review aims to offer insights into the recent literature regarding the occurrence of harmful E. coli bacteria in the food supply of Arab countries. Additionally, it aims to summarize existing information on health issues and the state of resistance to antibiotics. The reviewed evidence highlights a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the extent to which harmful E. coli genes are present in the food supply of Arab countries. Efforts to identify the source of harmful E. coli in the Arab world through molecular characterization are limited. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have conducted few surveys specifically targeting harmful E. coli in the food supply. Despite having qualitative data that indicate the presence or absence of harmful E. coli, there is a noticeable absence of quantitative data regarding the actual numbers of harmful E. coli in chicken meat supplies across all Arab countries. While reports about harmful E. coli in animal-derived foods are common, especially in North African Arab countries, the literature emphasized in this review underscores the ongoing challenge that harmful E. coli pose to food safety and public health in Arab countries.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbial Spoilage, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Research

Research – New publication about microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables

Posted on October 10, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FAO

Fresh fruits and vegetables contaminated with foodborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, helminths, etc.) have resulted in numerous outbreaks of foodborne illness, made headlines and caused trade disruptions around the world. To better understand these hazards, and how to prevent and mitigate the risks, FAO and WHO convened a meeting of scientific experts to identify and evaluate commodity-specific interventions used to reduce the risk of microbiological hazards in fresh fruit and vegetable production – from primary production to post-harvest activities, transportation, point of sale and preparation for consumption. A new report is now available and provides guidance, taking into consideration the effectiveness, practicality and suitability of the various approaches used in fruit and vegetable safety.

Prevention and control of microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables – Part 4: Specific commodities, which is volume 44 in the FAO/WHO Microbiological Risk Assessment Series, is the report of the meeting convened by the Secretariat of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA). It addresses four commodity groups:  leafy vegetables and herbs, berries and tropical fruits, melons and tree fruits, and seeded and root vegetables.

This assessment updates and expands previous JEMRA work on the safety of fruits and vegetables and supports work being conducted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission on the development of guidelines for the control of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in leafy vegetables and in sprouts.

Download the report

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