Category Archives: Microbiology Risk

Research – Effects of Selected Essential Oils on Listeria monocytogenes in Biofilms and in a Model Food System

Posted on May 15, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

The composition of 18 essential oils was determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and their antilisterial activity was evaluated by the disk diffusion method, followed by the determination of the minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations. The most active essential oils were oregano, thyme, cinnamon, winter savory, and clove, with MIC values ranging from 0.09 to 1.78 µL/mL. We investigated the biofilm-forming potential of Listeria monocytogenes on polystyrene at 5 °C, 15 °C, and 37 °C in three different media. The formation of biofilm was found to be dependent on the temperature and the availability of nutrients. After treatment with selected essential oils, the reduction in biofilm biomass was in the range of 32.61% and 78.62%. Micromorphological changes in the L. monocytogenes treated by oregano and thyme essential oils were observed in the form of impaired cell integrity and cell lyses by using scanning electron microscope. Oregano and thyme essential oils (MIC and 2MIC) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the population of L. monocytogenes in minced pork meat during storage at 4 °C. In conclusion, the obtained results indicated the good activity of some selected essential oils on L. monocytogenes, with bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and antibiofilm effects at very low concentrations.

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Posted in Biofilm, essential oils, 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

Research -Climate change and food safety: Temperature impact on the attachment of Escherichia coli pathogroups on cress leaf

Posted on May 14, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Abstract

Climate change and its worldwide effects are undeniable. Temperature increase due to climate change may affect foodborne pathogen survival on fresh produce. This study aimed to present an evaluation of climate change impact regarding temperature rise situations, on attachment of different pathogenic Escherichia coli strains on cress grown under controlled conditions. EHEC O157:H7, EAEC O104:H4 and EPEC O26 were inoculated with initial inoculum concentration of 8 log MPN/mL at different stages during growth to observe how inoculation time (7, 14, 21 and 28 days post sowing; dps) and route (seed and leaves) affect pathogen load on fresh produce. This study revealed that temperature increase designed according to mitigation scenarios for climate change (+2, +4 and +6 °C) did not cause any considerable change in pathogen persistence on leaf at 30 dps (~4.5 to 7 log MPN/g). In plants contaminated at later stage (21 and 28 dps), higher bacterial populations were obtained for all temperatures studied. Our results show that E. coli translocated towards leaf portions from seed and established significant amount of pathogen load on leaf (~4 to 5.3 log MPN/g). Also, inoculated bacteria have tightly bound to leaf (~3.5 to 7 log MPN/g) and cannot be eliminated by washing. Although persistence of E. coli O157:H7, O104:H4 and O26 did not differ significantly according to temperature, the bacterial load on the leaves was above infectious dose for humans.

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Posted in Climate change, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli O104, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, 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, STEC, STEC E.coli

Research – Scientists Discover How Foodborne Vibrio Infects People, Could Lead to New Treatments

Posted on May 12, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety.Com

Food Illness

Researchers at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center have discovered how foodborne pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus infects people after eating raw or undercooked shellfish. The findings could lead to new ways to treat illness caused by the enteric bacteria.

The study provides the first visual evidence of how a gut bacterial pathogen uses an “assembly method” to build syringe-like structures to inject toxins into intestinal cells, giving a new view of how enteric bacteria, when exposed to bile acids, efficiently respond and build a virulence system.

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Posted in Antimicrobials, 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, Vibrio, Vibrio albensis, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio cholera, vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificans, Vibrio vulnificus

RASFF Alert- Animal Feed – Enterobacteriaceae – Poultry Meal

Posted on May 12, 2023 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

Exceeded parameter for Enterobacteriaceae in poultry meal from the UK in Netherlands and Belgium

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Posted in Animal Feed, Animal Feed Enterobacteriaceae, Animal Feed Testing, Enterobacteriaceae, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pet Food Enterobacteriaceae, RASFF

RASFF Alerts- Animal Feed – Mold/Mould – Beet Pulp – Wheat Bran Pellets – Wheat

Posted on May 12, 2023 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

Mold in beet-pulp from Ukraine in Poland

RASFF

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

RASFF

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

RASFF

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

RASFF

Mold in wheat from Ukraine in Poland and the Czech Republic

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Posted in Animal Feed, Animal Feed Mould Toxin, Animal Feed Testing, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, RASFF

Viet Nam – Seventy children hospitalized in Nghe An, food poisoning suspected

Posted on May 11, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Vietnamnet

More than 70 children aged from three to five from a preschool in the central province of Nghe An were rushed to hospitals after eating a snack on the evening of May 9.

Doctors at a general hospital in Do Luong District said the hospital admitted more than 70 children with symptoms of vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea and dehydration.

They suspected that the children were food poisoned and that the yogurt was suspected as the cause of the incident, as many other two-year-old kids who did not eat the yogurt were well, the local media reported.

All of the children are rehydrated and in stable condition, and an investigation into the incident is underway.

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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

India – Two sisters die of suspected food poisoning in Rajasthan

Posted on May 11, 2023 by | Leave a comment

The Print

Jaipur, May 9 (PTI) Two girls died and their parents and a sister fell ill due to suspected food poisoning in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, police said on Monday.

The family members started vomiting after taking dinner on Monday night. When their condition deteriorated, locals took them to a hospital early Tuesday, Station House Officer of Gudha police station Veer Singh said.

Two girls Lakshya (8) and Tanishka (6) were declared brought at the hospital, he said, adding their father Buti Ram Meghwal (35), mother Anita (32) and sister Tanuja (11) are undergoing treatment.

The police officer said food samples have been collected for examination.

The postmortem of bodies has been conducted, he said. PTI SDA AQS AQS

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

USA – Dave’s Sushi Turns Deadly: “2 have died, and another 30 injuries reported”

Posted on May 11, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning News

Patrons of Dave’s Sushi, who ate at the establishment between March 31 and April 17th, may have been exposed to a deadly pathogen – as yet unidentified – but possibly in the Morel Mushrooms it served. The restaurant has released a statement:

“Upon being contacted by guests on Mon, April 17 about a potential issue, we stopped serving the morel mushrooms which were a specialty food item not on our regular menu and contacted the Gallatin City-County Health Department.”

While not certain, the mushrooms were served only at Dave’s in Montana – the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) stated: “The DPHHS investigation has determined that the morel mushrooms served at the restaurant were not distributed to any other restaurants or businesses in Montana. The mushrooms were cultivated in China, shipped to a distributor in California, and subsequently sent to multiple states. There are no known associated illnesses in other states identified at this time.”

As of date, two patrons have passed away due to the exposure, and as many as 30 have become ill – some have required hospitalization. The victims all seem to have become ill within a half hour (30 minutes) to four and one half hours (270 minutes) after consumption of the sushi served with the specialty item Morel Mushrooms.

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

USA- FDA -Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Update

Posted on May 11, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak linked to morel mushrooms (ref #1152), the case count has increased from 30 cases to 41 cases.
  • For the outbreak of hepatitis A virus (ref #1143), cases have increased from 8 to 9. This change has been made on the advisory for this outbreak.
Date
Posted		 Ref Pathogen
or
Cause of
Illness		 Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses
(if any)		 Total
Case
Count
Status
4/26/2023 1152 Not Yet Identified Morel Mushroom
(suspect)		 41 Active
3/29/2023 1141 Salmonella Infantis Raw Flour See
Outbreak
Advisory		 Active
3/1/2023 1143 Hepatitis A Virus Frozen Organic
Strawberries		 See
Outbreak
Advisory		 Active
2/15/2023 1123 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Not Yet
Identified		 See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active

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

Dutch farm owner, manager up on charges of selling contaminated eggs; one man died – Salmonella

Posted on May 11, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Two people in the Netherlands have been accused of knowingly selling eggs contaminated with Salmonella.

The case at Zwolle District Court covers events in 2017 and involves the duo, who were owner and manager of a farm at the time.

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) believes Salmonella findings were hidden for financial reasons. The defendants deny knowing about the contamination.

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Posted in 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, Salmonella, Salmonella in Eggs