UC Santa Barbara researchers have discovered Salmonella bacteria that are up to 100 times more capable of causing disease. Their findings may help prevent food poisoning outbreaks that continue to plague public health and the food industry.
These “hypervirulent” bugs can override vaccines and pose a risk to food safety — and mitigation efforts are currently under way.
The guide, which can be purchased via the link above, provides advice on achieving best practice concerning the quality of fish purchased and its maintenance during processing, packaging and dispatch. In addition, it covers the requirements applicable to the processing of white fish, including filleting, smoking and freezing.
The guide sets out the means by which the white fish processor can comply with Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, and Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 laying down specific rules for food of animal origin.
RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in frozen berries mix from Italy, with raw material from Canada, Serbia, Bulgaria and Poland, via Switzerland in Italy
RASFF – Hepatitis A virus (presence) in frozen berries mix from Italy, with raw material from Romania, Poland and Bulgaria
EFSA – Hepatitis A
Posted in ECDC, EFSA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Virus
Tagged efsa, frozen berries, hepatitis a virus, hepatitis virus, rasff, raw material
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 9.4 mg/kg – ppm) in roasted and salted pistachio nuts from the United States, via Luxembourg in Germany
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 199.5; Tot. = 201.8 / B1 = 124.4; Tot. = 134.9 µg/kg – ppb) in Brazil nuts from Brazil in Italy
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 19.5; Tot. = 20.7 µg/kg – ppb) in nutmeg shrivels from Indonesia in Italy
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 21; Tot. = 24 µg/kg – ppb) in nutmeg from Indonesia in the Netherlands
Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Laboratory, Microbiology, Mycotoxin, RASFF, Recall
Tagged brazil nuts, cars, food, pistachio nuts, restaurants
RASFF -Salmonella Senftenberg (presence /25g) in frozen chicken meat (Gallus gallus) from Argentina in Sweden
RASFF -Salmonella Schwarzengrund (presence /25g) in frozen marinated turkey breast from Germany in Denmark
RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen poultry meat preparations (Aves) from Brazil in the Netherlands
RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in dog chew from India in Germany
RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in bovine meat (Bos taurus) from Argentina in the Netherlands
RASFF -Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in chilled boneless beef (Bos taurus) from Argentina in the Netherlands
RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in bovine meat from Belgium
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O103, E.coli O104, E.coli O121, E.coli O145, E.coli O157, E.coli O26, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, STEC
Tagged argentina, boneless beef, bos taurus, escherichia coli, netherlands, rasff
The outbreak of norovirus at Mulvaney’s restaurant in Sacramento we told you about in March has been confirmed and updated. Laura McCasland, Communication & Media Officer of the Sacramento County Department of Health & Human Services told us that 138 people were sickened in this outbreak.
The ill persons ate at the restaurant between Friday, February 22 and Tuesday, February 26, 2013. During the week of February 17 to February 24, 2013, at least six food service workers reported that they were ill. People started gettting sick between Friday, February 22, 2013 and Thursday, February 28, 2013. The cause of the illness was norovirus. The restaurant was inspected February 13, 2013 and passed.
Public health officials suspect that the foods that are associated with the risk of developing illness include Turkish coffee pudding, pickled beet salad, grilled eggplant, ham, lamb, and Yukon potatoes. The age range for all of the events was 18 to 80 years old. Among all of the ill patrons who ate at Mulvaney’s restaurant, 52.4% were female and 47.6% were male.
Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hand Washing, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Virus
Tagged beet salad, food service workers, ill patrons, norovirus, public health officials, turkish coffee
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (May 23) advised people not to consume a particular batch of Pura slim milk imported from Australia which was detected to have a total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit. The trade should also stop selling the affected product.
Details of the product concerned are as follows:
Product name: Pura slim milk
Place of origin: Australia
Expiry date: May 26, 2013
Packing size: 1 litre
“A sample of the milk was collected for testing under the regular Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the total bacterial count of the sample was more than 30,000,000 per millilitre,” a CFS spokesman said.
“According to the Milk Regulation, milk after heat-treatment by means of pasteurization should not contain more than 30,000 bacteria per millilitre,” he said.
The CFS has issued a warning letter to the importer, Nowaday International Development Limited. Importation of the product concerned has been suspended and the trade has been alerted to the incident.
The importer is the sole importer of the milk product concerned. It has stopped sale and has initiated a recall of the affected product. According to the information provided by the importer, the affected product was available for sale at several supermarket chains. For enquiries about the product recall, consumers can call a hotline set up by the importer at 2882 2347 during office hours.
“The total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit indicates unsatisfactory hygienic conditions, but does not mean it would lead to food poisoning. Despite that, we think that it will be prudent for consumers who have bought the affected product to stop drinking it. The trade should also stop selling the affected product,” the spokesman said.
The CFS has informed the Australian authorities. We will monitor the recall of the affected product and the development of the incident. Appropriate actions will be taken whenever necessary.
Ottawa, May 29, 2013 – The public warning issued on May 23, 2013 has been updated to include additional product and distribution information.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume certain in shell hazelnuts described in the link because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Consumers who are unsure if they have affected product are advised to check with their retailer.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
These recalls are part of an on-going food safety investigation associated with a recall of bulk hazelnuts from USA. The CFIA is working with the recalling firms and distributors to identify all affected products.
The importer, distributers, and retailers are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
