Category Archives: Microbiology

USA – Listeria Outbreak in Cheese Updates

Posted on July 9, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Minnesota Department of Health has released information about the multistate Listeria outbreak linked to recalled Crave Brothers soft cheeses. Two people in Minnesota have been sickened in this outbreak. Both were older adults who became ill in early June; one of them has died.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Two Illinois restaurants served the Crave Brothers soft French cheeses that have been linked to a multistate Listeria outbreak. Girl & The Goat in Chicago, and the Hilton Hotel in Chicago sold the recalled cheese. Anyone who ate Les Frères, Petit Frère, or Petit Frère with Truffles at those restaurants may be at risk for developing listeriosis, a serious disease.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

To date, two Minnesota residents have contracted Listeria food poisoning (listeriosis) after eating Les Freres cheese produced by Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Company. One of Minnesota victim died. Prompted by this outbreak, Crave Brothers issued a recall of some of its cheese products, including Les Freres (LF225 2/2.5#), Petit Frère (PF88 8/8 oz) and Petit Frère with Truffles (PF88T 8/8 oz), all with a make date of 7-1-13 or earlier.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A premier Minnesota restaurant, Butcher & The Boar, is the only restaurant in the state named by Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Company as a recipient of soft cheese associated with a deadly outbreak of listeriosis. Whole Foods Markets, Lunds, Byerlys, Rainbow, Kowalski’s and other grocery retailers also sold the cheese, as did restaurants in Wisconsin and Illinois. The recalled gourmet cheese has been associated with a Listeria death in Minnesota, a second Minnesota illness and individual cases of listeriosis in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. All five people were hospitalized and one infection in a pregnant woman resulted in miscarriage.

Food Posioning Bulletin

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has joined the investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health into the Listeria outbreak linked to Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheeses. The company recalled three types of its cheeses on July 3, 2013 after an outbreak was announced. At least five people have been sickened in four states; one person in Minnesota has died and a woman has suffered a miscarriage.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Miscarriage, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

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Research – Everything you Wanted to Know About Listeria

Posted on July 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning JournalEurofins Food Testing UK

This article gives some useful information on Listeria.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

RASFF Alerts – Histamine – PSP – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on July 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Histamine (530 mg/kg – ppm) in sardines from Tunisia in Italy

RASFF – Suspicion of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins (2152 µg/kg – ppb) in surf clams from the United Kingdom

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (< 100 CFU/g) in chilled raw milk brie from France in the Netherlands

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Posted in Allergic Reaction, Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Histamine, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, PSP, RASFF, Recall

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RASFF Alerts – Shigatoxin E.coli – Beef

Posted on July 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in frozen beef (Bos taurus) from Brazil in Germany

RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in chilled deboned bovine meat from Argentina in Italy

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, STEC

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RASFF Alerts – Alfatoxin – Ochratoxin- Black Pepper – Nuts – Curry Powder – Figs – Copra

Posted on July 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Ochratoxin A (35.63 µg/kg – ppb) in black pepper from Indonesia in Poland

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 11 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts in shell from Egypt in Slovenia

RASFF -Ochratoxin A (20.6 µg/kg – ppb) in curry powder from India, via the United Kingdom in Germany

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 23.2; Tot. = 25.4 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted and salted pistachio nuts from the United States in Germany

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 27.8; Tot. = 28.7 µg/kg – ppb) in peanut kernels from the United States, via the Netherlands in Germany

RASFF – Ochratoxin A (41.58 mg/kg – ppm) in black pepper from Indonesia in Poland

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 14; Tot. = 36 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 23 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from China in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (Tot. = 13.1 / B1 = 12.9; Tot. = 57 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled almonds from the United States in Spain

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 72 / B1 = 79.3 / B1 = 32.3 / B1 = 105.9 µg/kg – ppb) in maize from Ukraine in Italy

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 28 µg/kg – ppb) in copra expeller from Indonesia, via Germany in Belgium

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 36.5 µg/kg – ppb) in copra expeller from Indonesia in Belgium

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Poultry – Maltodextrin – Eggs – Beef – Rocket – Dog Chews

Posted on July 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella Brandenburg (presence /25g) and Salmonella enterica (presence /25g) in chicken meat from Brazil in Sweden

RASFF – Foodborne outbreak (Salmonella spp.) caused by eggs from Spain in France

RASFF – Salmonella Dublin (presence /25g) in frozen beef trimmings from Ireland in Sweden

RASFF -Salmonella in frozen spiced boneless skinless turkey half breasts from Brazil in the UK

RASFF – Salmonella in frozen spiced boneless skinless turkey half breasts from Brazil in the UK

RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in wild rocket sandwich from Italy, via the United Kingdom in Ireland

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen hens from Poland, with raw material from the Czech Republic in Poland

RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in maltodextrin from France in Belgium

RASFF – Salmonella in frozen poultry meat from Brazil in Spain

RASFF – Salmonella Heidelberg (presence /25g) in frozen chicken from Brazil in Spain

RASFF -Salmonella spp. (O:4,5 /25g) in dog chew from India in Germany

RASFF – Salmonella Give (presence /25g) in processed animal proteins (porc) from the Netherlands in Belgium

RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in dog chews from India in Germany

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella

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USA – Cheese – Listeria monocytogenes – Death and Miscarriage

Posted on July 4, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Listeria BlogEurofins Food Testing UK

Les Freres cheese is distributed by Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics, a Wisconsin producer.  Crave Brothers cheese is sold at some of the Midwest restaurants, including Girl and the Goat in Chicago, Wild Rice in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and Butcher and the Boar in Minneapolis. In the Twin Cities, it is also sold at grocery stores such as Lunds, Byerly’s and Kowalski’s.  The products were distributed nationwide through retail and foodservice outlets as well as by mail orders.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), two older adults in Minnesota got sick in early June after eating the cheese, and one later died.

The outbreak has sickened at least four others in three states, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  In addition to Minnesota, the other states involved are Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.  One of the cases was a pregnant woman who suffered a miscarriage.

All of those sickened were infected with the same strain of listeriosis, the FDA said.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Miscarriage, outbreak, Pathogen

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Europe – Report into Listeria Prevalence in RTE Foods

Posted on July 4, 2013 by | Leave a comment

EFSAefsa

The first part of EFSA’s analysis of an EU-wide baseline survey on Listeria monocytogenes published today provides valuable insights  into the presence of this bacteria in certain ready-to-eat foods (fish, cold  meats and soft cheeses[1]). The proportion of food samples exceeding the legal  food safety limit was low. However, given the popularity of these foods and the  severe implications that Listeria infections (listeriosis) can have on human  health, overall vigilance regarding the possible presence of the bacteria in  food is warranted. To prevent listeriosis,  EU legislation lays down specific rules for  food business operators including the need to follow  good manufacturing practices, appropriate food  hygiene programmes, and effective temperature control throughout the food chain.  Experts highlighted the importance of these  measures as well as proper storage of these foods in the home, keeping  refrigerator temperatures low.

EFSA Report Link

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Posted in Bacteria, EFSA, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria welshimeri, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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UK – FSA – Curry Leaves Reminder – Salmonella

Posted on July 4, 2013 by | 1 comment

FSAfood_standards_agency_logo

The Food Standards Agency is reminding those who eat or use fresh curry leaves in their dishes, to ensure that the leaves are washed thoroughly before use. Cooking provides further assurance that these leaves are safe to eat.

The use of uncooked fresh curry leaves, which were contaminated with several different bacteria including salmonella, was the cause of a food poisoning outbreak which affected more than 400 people at the Street Spice festival in Newcastle. Further information on the recent Newcastle City Council and Public Health England investigation into this incident can be found on the PHE website. See ‘External sites’ links.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Research

USA – Legionnaires Outbreak – Fitness Center

Posted on July 3, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinLegionella_Plate_01

Three people reported contracting Legionnaires’ disease after visiting the 24 Hour Fitness on Ridgeway Road in East Memphis, Tennessee. The gym’s spa and pool are now closed pending an investigation by the Shelby County Health Department. Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia, is caused by breathing in water mist contaminated with Legionella bacteria.

Anyone who was at the 24 Hour Fitness on Ridgeway Road in the last 2 weeks should watch for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, including cough, fever, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea. This is a severe illness that is often fatal.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Legionella, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Water

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