Category Archives: Microbiology

UK – Prom Night – Norovirus

Posted on May 19, 2013 by | Leave a comment

SKY Tyne and WearNorovirus

Two Northumbria University students who became ill after their graduation ball have tested positive for vomiting bug, norovirus.

Around 30 people complained of sickness after the event at the Assembly Rooms on May 10.

Experts from the North East Public Health England Centre are working with environmental health colleagues at Newcastle City Council to investigate the outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.

A spokesperson for Public Health England said: “Approximately 30 students who attended an event in Newcastle on 10 May have reported symptoms of illness.

“Two samples taken from students who were ill have tested positive for norovirus (also known as the winter vomiting bug) which is the most common cause of gastro-enteritis in England and Wales.”

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Virus

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Canada – Norovirus Top Food Poisoning Bug in Canada

Posted on May 19, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinNorwalk_Caspid

Norovirus causes about one fourth of all food poisoning cases in Canada each year, according to a new study published in the May issue of the journal Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. About 4 million Canadians, one in every eight, are sickened  by food poisoning each year, according to the study. Norovirus is also the leading cause of food poisoning in the U.S. where one in six people, or about 48 million, are stricken by foodborne illness each year.

The Canadian study looked at illnesses reported from a variety of sources including: the Canadian Notifiable Disease Surveillance System, the National Enteric Surveillance Program, enhanced national listeriosis surveillance, the provincial reportable disease surveillance system, national studies on gastrointestinal illness and C-EnterNet surveillance. Most of the illnesses reported, about 60 percent of them, were from unspecified agents.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Research

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RASFF Alerts – Hepatitis A Oysters and Berries- ASP in Scallops- Enterococci in Dessciated Coconut

Posted on May 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) toxins in chilled scallops from France

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in chilled oysters from France and the Netherlands

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in frozen berry mix from Italy, with raw material from Bulgaria in Italy

RASFF – Faecal streptococci (17000 CFU/g) in desiccated coconut from Indonesia, via Malaysia in Italy

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Posted in Algal Toxin, ASP, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Faecal Streptpcocci, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Spoilage, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Microbiology, Pathogen, Poisoning, Shellfish, Toxin, Virus

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Ochratoxin – Rice Bran – Millet – Dried Figs – Grape Concentrate – Chilli Powder- Pistachios – Peanut Butter

Posted on May 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 27 / B1 = 11 / B1 = 44 / B1 = 49 µg/kg – ppb) in rice bran for horses from Sweden

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 4.8 µg/kg – ppb) in millet flour from Senegal in Italy

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 15.1; Tot. = 34 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from the Netherlands in Germany

RASFF – Ochratoxin A (6.6 µg/kg – ppb) in aseptic grape must concentrate from Iran in Italy

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 16.8; Tot. = 17.3 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli hot powder from India in Ireland

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 7.7 µg/kg – ppb) in crushed chilli from India in Bulgaria

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 38.8; Tot. = 97.3 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted pistachios from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 5.2; Tot. = 6.1 µg/kg – ppb) in peanut butter from India in the UK

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

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RASFF Alerts – E.coli – Lamb Meal – Beef – Clams – Centella

Posted on May 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Too high count of Enterobacteriaceae (300;510;470;370;340 CFU/g) in lamb meal from the Netherlands, with raw material from New Zealand in Belgium

RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in boneless beef meat  (Bos taurus) from Uruguay in Spain

RASFF – Too high count of Escherichia coli (9200 MPN/100g) in clams from Italy

RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli (2600 CFU/100g) in centella (Centella asiatica) from Sri Lanka

 

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Chicken – Salami – Basil – Black Pepper-Paan Leaves – Spinach – Dog Chews

Posted on May 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella Heidelberg (presence /25g) in frozen salted chicken breast fillets from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in salami without garlic from Belgium

RASFF – Salmonella (present /25g) in holy basil fresh leaves from Thailand in Denmark

RASFF -Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in black pepper from Vietnam infested with moulds (2.2 %) in Poland

RASFF – Salmonella spp. (1 out of 5 samples /25g) in paan leaves (betel/pan) from Bangladesh in the UK

RASFF – Salmonella Stendal (presence /25g) in frozen chicken livers from Brazil in Bulgaria

RASFF – Salmonella Weltevreden in spinach from Sri Lanka in Norway

RASFF – Salmonella typhimurium (presence /25g) in frozen chicken meat (Gallus gallus) from Brazil in Portugal

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (1 out of 5 samples /25g) in frozen whole chicken hen from Poland, with raw material from the Czech Republic in Poland

RASFF – Salmonella in dog chews from Germany

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall

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USA – FDA Recall Aflatoxin – Deer Corn

Posted on May 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDAAspergillus

Rural King Distributing of Mattoon, IL is recalling 205 tons of Deer Corn, because it has the potential to be contaminated with aflatoxin.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring mold by-product. Animals that have consumed any of the above recalled products may exhibit symptoms of illness including sluggishness, unthriftiness, or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, yellowish tint to the eyes, or diarrhea. Consumption of feed containing high amounts of aflatoxin can be fatal to some animals. Deer Corn was distributed to 63 retail stores in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan.

Deer Corn is packaged in a green, black, and brown camouflage bags weighing 50 lbs. The product UPC Code is 689139348193.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The issue was called to attention stemming from testing by the Office of the Indiana State Chemist.

Consumers are urged to return Deer Corn to the store where they have purchased for full reimbursement. Consumers with questions may call the company at 1-800-561-1752 between the hours of 8am and 5 pm CST.

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, Recall, Toxin

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USA – E.coli O157:H7 Outbreak

Posted on May 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsEcoli Istock

At least seven people in Stephens County, Ga., have fallen ill with E. coli in the last several weeks, leading health officials in the area to begin investigating the source of the outbreak, local radio station WNEG reports.

Two of the patients were hospitalized and are now recovering. Most of the seven sickened have been confirmed to have E. coli O157:H7.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

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Australia – Canberra Salmonella Outbreak Update

Posted on May 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Today TonightSalmonella

The alleged restaurant The Copa Brazilian Churrasco in Canberra has taken down its sign, after 140 cases of food poisoning were reported by its diners.

At least 30 of the cases have pinpointed salmonella as the cause, according to laboratory tests.

The food poisoning occurred during Mother’s Day weekend this year.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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Canada – Salmonella in Hazelnuts

Posted on May 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CFIACIFA

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.

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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