RASFF -hepatitis A virus (presence) in frozen mixed berries from Italy, with raw material from Bulgaria and Poland in Italy
RASFF -Salmonella Lladoff (1 out of 5 samples; 2 out of 5 samples; 3 out of 5 samples /25g) in soybean meal non GMO from Italy in Austria
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 376 / B1 = 356 / B1 = 367 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts for birdfeed from Nigeria, via the British Virgin Islands in the UK
Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella
Tagged rasff, salmonella, soybean meal
Santa Maria Foods, a Brampton, Ontario, establishment, is recalling approximately 2,600 pounds of whole boneless ham prosciutto product due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The ham product was shipped to California and Michigan for further distribution. Case labels bear the Canadian establishment number “473A” within the Canadian mark of inspection. The following product is subject to recall: [Labels]
The problem was discovered by FSIS sampling collected during routine reinspection. The sampled product was held, but further investigation by Santa Maria Foods revealed that additional potentially implicated product had been released into commerce. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, USDA
Tagged fsis, Listeria monocytogenes, product, Santa Maria Foods, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA Santa Maria Foods
It has long been said that, in 1885, pioneering American veterinary scientist, Daniel E. Salmon, discovered the first strain of Salmonella. Actually, Theobald Smith, research-assistant to Dr. Salmon, discovered the first strain of Salmonella–Salmonella cholerae suis. But, being the one in charge, Dr. Salmon got all the credit. In any case, today the number of known strains of the bacteria totals over two thousand. In recent years, concerns have been raised, as particular strains of the bacteria have become resistant to traditional antibiotics, in both animals and humans.
E. coli O157:H7 is one of hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli.[1] Most strains of E. coli are harmless and live as normal flora in the intestines of healthy humans and animals.[2] The E. coli bacterium is among the most extensively studied microorganism.[3] The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the E. coli O157:H7 refers to the specific markers found on its surface and distinguishes it from other types of E. coli.[4] The testing done to distinguish E. coli O157:H7 from its other E. coli counterparts is called serotyping.[5] Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (“PFGE”),[6]sometimes also referred to as genetic fingerprinting, is used to compare E. coli O157:H7 isolates to determine if the strains are distinguishable.[7]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today released its Salmonella Action Plan that outlines the steps it will take to address the most pressing problem it faces–Salmonella in meat and poultry products. An estimated 1.3 million illnesses can be attributed to Salmonella every year.
“Far too many Americans are sickened by Salmonella every year. The aggressive and comprehensive steps detailed in the Salmonella Action Plan will protect consumers by making meat and poultry products safer.” said Under Secretary for Food Safety Elisabeth Hagen.
The Salmonella Action Plan is the agency’s strategy to best address the threat of Salmonella in meat and poultry products. The plan identifies modernizing the outdated poultry slaughter inspection system as a top priority. By focusing inspectors’ duties solely on food safety, at least 5,000 illnesses can be prevented each year.
Posted in Bacteria, FSIS, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, USDA
Almost half of all foodborne illness outbreaks that occur every year in the U.S. are associated with restaurants and delis. The CDC has released new findings and prevention tools to improve food safety in restaurants. Public health officials say that increased awareness and implementation of proper food safety in restaurants and delis may prevent many of the foodborne illness outbreaks reported every year in the U.S.
Education of restaurant workers and public health surveillance are two critical tools necessary in preventing these illnesses. Food preparation and handling practices, worker health policies, and hand-washing practices are some of the factors that are not reported during outbreaks. Carol Selman, head of the CDC’s Environmental Health Specialists Network team said, “inspectors have not had a formal system to capture and report the underlying factors that likely contribute to foodborne outbreaks or a way to inform prevention strategies and implement routine corrective measures to prevent future outbreaks.”
Vibrio outbreak associated with eating raw oysters and raw clams has sickened at least 104 people in 13 states over the last six months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Six people have been hospitalized.
Public health investigators have traced the source of some of these illnesses to shellfish harvest areas in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. Massachusetts issued a recall of oysters, Connecticut issued a recall of oysters and clams. Implicated harvest areas in Virginia were closed in July and remain closed. In Massachusetts, they were closed in August and remain closed. In New York they were closed in June and reopened in mid-September. In Connecticut, they were closed in August and reopened in mid-September.
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Laboratory, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Vibrio
Tagged centers for disease control and prevention, Connecticut, Food Poisoning Bulletin Vibrio, Massachusetts, raw clams, raw oysters
