Salmonella Mbandaka in rapeseed meal from Poland in Lithuania
Salmonella in dried porcine haemoglobin from the UK in Netherlands and Spain
Salmonella Typhimurium in rice husk from Italy used as feed material in Spain
Salmonella in Rosemary powder as feed additive from Tunisia in France and Norway
Invasive listeriosis, caused by Listeria (L.) monocytogenes, is a severe foodborne infection, especially for immunocompromised individuals. The aim of our investigation was the identification and analysis of listeriosis outbreaks in Germany with smoked and graved salmon products as the most likely source of infection using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and patient interviews.
In a national surveillance program, WGS was used for subtyping and core genome multi locus sequence typing (cgMLST) for cluster detection of L. monocytogenes isolates from listeriosis cases as well as food and environmental samples in Germany. Patient interviews were conducted to complement the molecular typing.
We identified 22 independent listeriosis outbreaks occurring between 2010 and 2021 that were most likely associated with the consumption of smoked and graved salmon products. In Germany, 228 cases were identified, of 50 deaths reported (22%) 17 were confirmed to have died from listeriosis. Many of these 22 outbreaks were cross-border outbreaks with further cases in other countries.
This report shows that smoked and graved salmon products contaminated with L. monocytogenes pose a serious risk for listeriosis infection in Germany. Interdisciplinary efforts including WGS and epidemiological investigations were essential to identifying the source of infection. Uncooked salmon products are high risk foods frequently contaminated with L. monocytogenes. In order to minimise the risk of infection for consumers, food producers need to improve hygiene measures and reduce the entry of pathogens into food processing. Furthermore, susceptible individuals should be better informed of the risk of acquiring listeriosis from consuming smoked and graved salmon products’.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Research, WGS, Whole Genomic Sequencing
As climate change continues to alter weather patterns around the planet including the Midwest, researchers at Michigan State University are modeling the impact on crops such as corn.
“The United States is the largest exporter and donor of field corn around the world,” said Felicia Wu, a John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor and an international expert on food safety in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at MSU. “Here in the U.S., we consume field corn in the form of corn chips, corn flakes, corn grits and corn tortillas; as opposed to sweet corn, which is frozen, canned and eaten off the cob. Field corn is also used for animal feed and for ethanol production.”
The fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus produce aflatoxin which can infect peanuts, tree nuts and corn. Aflatoxin not only degrades corn quality but can also cause health problems for humans and animals depending on the amount and length of time it is ingested. While aflatoxin contamination occurs annually in the southern United States because of the hot and dry climate, it has rarely been a serious problem in the Corn Belt region of the U.S.
“When we ran our near-term climate model scenarios, we found that between 2031-2040, aflatoxin is going to become more of a problem in the U.S. Corn Belt in the Midwest,” Wu said. “The last time there was a serious problem was in 2012 when we had an unusually hot and dry summer throughout the Midwest; particularly Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.”
Wu’s research was published April 5, 2022 in the journal Environmental Research Letters. Co-authors on the paper include her former doctoral student Jina Yu (Hong Kong Baptist University), David Hennessy (Iowa State University) and Jesse Tack (Kansas State University).
Hot and dry conditions encourage fungi spores to be airborne which increases their chances of contaminating crops. Water helps plants withstand stress that makes them vulnerable to harmful fungi. Steps growers, grain elevators and processors can take to reduce the risk of aflatoxin contamination include storing corn harvests in cool, dry conditions and keeping crops irrigated to the extent possible given declining water tables.
Researchers are already using both biotechnological and conventional breeding techniques to develop hybrid crops that can withstand drought, insect damage and fungal infections. In many parts of the world, corn growers are using biocontrol to reduce aflatoxin. Biocontrol infects plants with Aspergillus fungi which is unable to produce aflatoxin because this these fungi competitively exclude the fungi that produce aflatoxin.
Another possibility shifts crop production further north or further south geographically where the climate is cooler or wetter to reduce aflatoxin risk. That, however, impacts farms that have been passed down for generations.
For consumers concerned about eating field corn and their aflatoxin risk, Wu suggests eating your greens and garlic. “Green leafy vegetables are good for your overall health,” Wu said. “Chlorophyll has a sandwich molecular structure that traps aflatoxin molecules so that humans excrete them before the toxin can enter our bloodstream.”
Also, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and allium vegetables like garlic, onions and leeks can help detoxify carcinogens in our bodies.
“We predict seeing an increase in aflatoxin problems over the next 10-20 years,” Wu said. “So, we need to rely on technologies and a whole suite of interventions that can reduce the problem.”
Story Source:
Materials provided by Michigan State University. Original written by Emilie Lorditch. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Posted in Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin B1, Climate change, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Research
| Date Posted |
Ref | Pathogen or Cause of Illness |
Product(s) Linked to Illnesses (if any) |
Total Case Count |
Status |
| 4/20/
2022 |
1064 | Not Yet Identified |
Dry Cereal | 529 adverse event reports |
Active |
| 4/13/
2022 |
1057 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Not Yet Identified |
18 | Active |
| 4/6/
2022 |
NA | Norovirus* | Raw Oysters | See CDC Alert |
Active |
| 3/30/
2022 |
1060 | Not Yet Identified |
Meal
Replacement |
6 adverse event reports |
Active |
| 3/16/
2022 |
1055 | Salmonella Saintpaul |
Not Identified | 60 | Closed |
| 2/17/
2022 |
1056 | Cronobacter sakazakii |
Powdered Infant Formula |
See Advisory |
Active |
| 2/9/
2022 |
1040 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Not Yet Identified |
19 | Active |
| 2/2/
2022 |
1054 | Enteroinvasive E. coli O143:H26 |
Not Identified |
16 | Closed |
| 1/10/
2022 |
1050 | E. coli O121:H19 |
Romaine | 4 | Closed |
| 12/29/
2021 |
1052 | E. coli O157:H7 |
Packaged Salad |
See Outbreak Advisory |
Closed |
| 12/20/
2021 |
1039 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Packaged Salad |
See Outbreak Advisory |
Closed |
| 12/15/
2021 |
1048 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Packaged Salad |
See Outbreak Advisory |
Closed |
Posted in E.coli O121, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, 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, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Norovirus, O143:H26, outbreak, Salmonella
Kerala health department on Tuesday identified shigella bacteria as the cause of food poisoning which claimed the life of a student and led to the hospitalisation of around 30 others in the state’s Kasaragod district.
District medical officer Dr S K Ramdas said the presence of shigella was confirmed after testing the blood and faeces of those undergoing treatment for food poisoning. The samples collected from the hospitalised persons were tested at the government medical college hospital in Kozhikode, he said.
Posted in Death, Decontamination Microbial, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Shigatoxin, Shigella, Shigella flexneri, Shigella Sonnei
This year the Report of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on this outbreak related to Kinder chocolate products, produced by the Ferrero group, has been published. Given the wide distribution and durability of these products, and the increase in mobility due to the Easter holidays, the outbreak, of 212 cases, affects 5 European countries: France (59 cases), Belgium (54 cases), Germany (18 cases) , the United Kingdom (80 cases) and the Spanish State (1 case). There is even a case in the US.
The first patient was confirmed in the United Kingdom, on January 7, 2022, with a sampling date of December 21, 2021. On February 17, 2022, the United Kingdom, which had already carried out Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), notified the ECDC of 18 cases of Salmonella typhimurium monophasic BURST Group 1 (eBG1).
Since the elaboration of the ECDC Report, new cases have been detected which are already taken into account in this writing. The ECDC and EFSA are working on an update of the outbreak assessment that is to be published in mid-May.
The most affected population have been children under 10 years of age and women. Many of the affected people have had to be hospitalized since they presented very serious symptoms.
The outbreak strain is resistant to six families of antibiotics: penicillin, aminoglycosides (streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin), phenicols, sulfonamides, trimethoprim, and tetracycline. Resistance to aminoglycosides, phenicols, and trimethoprim is rare in monophasic Salmonella typhimurium and can be used for detection of probable cases. It is susceptible to fluoroquinolones, azithromycin, and third-generation cephalosporins.
The chocolate was produced in Belgium and distributed in at least 113 countries. On April 10, 2022, the International Network of Food Safety Authorities (INFOSAN) launched a global alert. Salmonella Typhimurium identified single-phase in the buttermilk tanks of the Ferrero plant in Arlon, in December 2021 and in January 2022. After implementing hygiene measures and obtaining negative tests for salmonella, the Kinder products involved were distributed throughout Europe and throughout the world. However, on April 8, 2022, the Belgian food safety authority reported through RASFF that the investigation at the plant revealed that the management of the contamination carried out by the company did not ensure the healthiness of the products they produced. , for which he ceased its production. It also extended the recall of all batches manufactured at this facility, regardless of batch number and expiration date. The Luxembourg Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation.It should be noted that Ferrero has production plants in more countries (France, Germany, Poland, etc.), where microbiological tests are also being carried out, given that they share some suppliers. For example, the results obtained in the plant located in Germany are, at this point, all negative, and the cases detected are linked to products made in Belgium. The withdrawal of Ferrero products has been carried out in many countries, including in some where, for the moment, no cases have been declared, such as Canada. and the detected cases are linked to products made in Belgium. The withdrawal of Ferrero products has been carried out in many countries, including in some where, for the moment, no cases have been declared, such as Canada and the detected cases are linked to products made in Belgium. The withdrawal of Ferrero products has been carried out in many countries, including in some where, for the moment, no cases have been declared, such as Canada.
In the Spanish State, on April 6, products with expiration dates between May and August of this year were withdrawn from the market, as a precautionary measure.
Salmonella-contaminated foods are usually not altered in appearance, smell, or taste.
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, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak, Research, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chocolate, salmonellosis
A shelter for people with disabilities in Holon has come under scrutiny after three of its residents died one after the other within the last couple of days, apparently as a result of food poisoning.
A special team sent to the Beit Dafna shelter by the Health Ministry found severe deficiencies in its kitchen, according to reports Monday, and has instructed the staff to shut down the kitchen completely until the investigation is completed.
A few residents began feeling ill during the night between Saturday and Sunday, with some suffering from diarrhea.
According to Ynet, some 30 residents were affected by the incident and suffered from diarrhea and vomiting. However, most of them presented mild symptoms.
Initial findings pointed to possible food poisoning, the Health Ministry stated, without providing further details.
According to a report by the Walla news site, a professional team from the Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry was also sent to the shelter in order to provide the staff with further assistance.
The team will remain at the facility until the Health Ministry completes its investigation, the report said.
A 16-year-old girl died and at least 40 other students were hospitalised on Sunday, May 1, due to suspected food poisoning from an eatery in Kerala’s Kasaragod. The girl, identified as Devananda of Karivellur in Kannur district, had eaten chicken shawarma on Friday from a food outlet called Ideal Food Point at Neeleswaram in Kasargod.
State Food and Civil Supplies Department, in a statement, said that the outlet, which was functioning without proper license from the department, has been sealed and the District Collector directed to conduct an investigation. State Health Minister Veena George has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.
Posted in Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Poisoning
BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan, Philippines — Ninety-eight residents of Barangay Inirangan in this town were taken to a hospital for treatment on Friday due to food poisoning.
Municipal health officer Paz Vallo said 29 of the victims are children.
The victims reportedly experienced abdominal pain, itchiness and vomiting after eating galunggong or round scad and green mussels.
Samples of the food they ate were brought to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for examination.
BFAR said shellfish gathered from the coastal waters of Bolinao remain positive for red tide toxin.
Recalled Foods , Published: May 2, 2022
Which feed:
TASTE 100% Lamb sausages
Net weight: 500 grams
Best before date: All dates
FoodWorld 