Category Archives: Microbiology

USA – Listeria Outbreak with Unknown Food Source – Update

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CDC

A specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this outbreak. However, CDC is concerned that illnesses continue to be reported. Listeria illness is rare, but it can result in serious illness or death.

Listeria is especially harmful if you are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system. If you are in any of these groups and have Listeria symptoms, contact your healthcare provider right away.

Fast Facts
  • Illnesses: 18   (7 new)
  • Hospitalizations: 17   (7 new)
  • Deaths: 0
  • States: 15   (5 new)
  • Recall: No
  • Investigation status: Active   (first posted on February 15, 2023)
Source of the Outbreak

A specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this outbreak.

Public health officials are interviewing people in this outbreak to find out what foods they ate before getting sick. Investigators are collecting as much information as they can to solve this outbreak.

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Posted in CDC, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

USA – USDA Proposes Declaring Salmonella an Adulterant in Breaded Stuffed Raw Chicken Products

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FSIS USDA

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released today a proposed determination to declare Salmonella an adulterant in breaded stuffed raw chicken products when they exceed a very low level of Salmonella contamination. This announcement is a significant first step that builds on FSIS’ proposed regulatory framework to reduce Salmonella infections linked to poultry products, released in October 2022.

Read more at the USDA website.

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Posted in 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 Chicken, USDA

USA – FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ready-to-Eat Meat Soup Products Due to Possible Contamination

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FSIS USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that ready-to-eat meat soup products may have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions, which may result in the product spoiling prematurely. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.

The following products are subject to the public health alert [view labels]:

  • 48-oz. packages containing two 24-oz. cups of “Ivar’s PUGET SOUND CLAM CHOWDER WITH BACON” with Use By dates 4/26/2023, 4/27/2023, 5/3/2023, 5/4/2023, 5/5/2023, 5/11/2023, 5/23/2023, 5/30/2023, 6/2/2023, 6/6/2023, 6/7/2023, 7/5/2023, 7/20/2023, 8/1/2023, 8/10/2023, and 8/17/2023.
  • 48-oz. packages containing two 24-oz. cups of “Ivar’s Loaded Baked Potato Soup” with Use By dates 5/9/2023, 5/19/2023, 6/16/2023, and 7/18/2023.
  • 48-oz. packages containing two 24-oz. cups of “Ivar’s Rustic Zuppa Toscana Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup” with Use By dates 4/30/2023, 5/2/2023, 5/14/2023, 5/15/2023, 5/21/2023, 5/22/2023, and 5/30/2023.
  • 20-oz. cup of “Ivar’s PUGET SOUND Clam Chowder WITH BACON” with Use By dates 4/26/2023, 5/5/2023, 6/6/2023, 7/20/2023, and 8/10/2023.
  • 20-oz. cup of “PIKE PLACE FISH MARKET WORLD FAMOUS CLAM CHOWDER WITH BACON” with Use By dates 5/4/2023, 7/5/2023, and 8/1/2023.

The products bear establishment number “EST. 20173” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and exported to Mexico.

The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that they had received multiple consumer complaints regarding bloated soup packages. Upon further review, the establishment found that some product spoiled prematurely. The establishment’s lab testing of the prematurely spoiled products found high levels of spoilage bacteria in the products.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

Consumption of food contaminated with spoilage organisms can cause illness in immunocompromised individuals.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Click to access PHA-04252023-01.pdf

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Posted in bacterial contamination, cross contamination, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Spoilage, Food Testing, FSIS, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, USDA

USA – Kawasho Foods USA Inc. Announces Expansion of Voluntary Recall of GEISHA Medium Shrimp 4oz. Due to Possible Under Processing

Posted on April 24, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Kawasho Foods USA Inc. of New York, NY, is announcing an expansion of its February 26, 2023, voluntary recall of canned GEISHA Medium Shrimp 4oz. to now recall all lots of this product. Kawasho Foods is taking this step out of an abundance of caution due to a concern that there is a possibility that the product has been under processed, which could lead to the potential for spoilage organisms or pathogens.

Kawasho Foods made this decision after receiving additional information from the Food and Drug Administration.

The Product was distributed to retailers nationwide (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI) from Dec 2022 to Apr 2023.

The GEISHA Medium Shrimp is packaged in a 4oz. metal can, with UPC 071140003909 (Listed on the back of the label).

This event only affects this specific product.

Consumers should not use this product, even if it does not look or smell spoiled. No illnesses or other adverse consequences have been reported to date in connection with this product.

Consumers who have purchased this product are urged to return to place of purchase for a full refund. If you have any question regarding this recall, please contact us at Toll Free (224)278-9935 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST) or via email at info@geishabrand.com.

Link to Initial Press Release.

Company Contact Information

Consumers:
 (224)278-9935
 info@geishabrand.com

Product Photos

  • GEISHA Medium Shrimp, 4oz. metal can, UPC 071140003909(Listed on the back of the label)

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Posted in 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

Research – Alternaria mycotoxins and its incidence in fruits and vegetables

Posted on April 23, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Conicet

Alternaria is a ubiquitous fungal genus, widely distributedin the environment and a range of different habitats. It includes both plantpathogenic and saprophytic species, which can affect crops in the field orcause post-harvest spoilage of plant fruits and kernels. Numerous Alternaria species cause damage toagricultural products including cereal grains, fruits and vegetables, and areresponsible for severe economic losses worldwide. MostAlternaria species have the abilityto produce a variety of secondary metabolites, which may play important rolesin plant pathology as well as food quality and safety. Alternariol (AOH),alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), tenuazonic acid (TeA), tentoxin (TEN) andaltenuene (ALT) are considered the main Alternariacompounds thought to pose a risk to human health. However, food-borne Alternaria species are able to producemany additional metabolites, whose toxicity has been tested incompletely or nottested at all. Both alternariols are mutagenic and their presence in cerealgrain has been associated with high levels of human esophageal cancer in China.TeA exerts cytotoxic and phytotoxic properties, and is acutely toxic in differentanimal species, causing hemorrhages in several organs. The possible involvementof TA in the etiology of onyalai, a human hematological disorder occurring inAfrica, has been suggested. Altertoxins (ALXs) have been found to be morepotent mutagens and acutely toxic to mice than AOH and AME. Other metabolites,such as TEN, are reported to be phytotoxins, and their toxicity on animals hasnot been demonstrated up to now. Vegetablefoods infected by Alternaria rot areobviously not suitable for consumption. Thus, whole fresh fruits are notbelieved to contribute significantly with Alternariatoxins to human exposure. However, processed vegetable products may introduceconsiderable amounts of these toxins to the human diet if decayed or moldyfruit is not removed before processing. Thetaxonomy of the genus is not well defined yet, which makes it difficult toestablish an accurate relationship between the contaminant species and theirassociated mycotoxins. Great efforts have been made to organize taxa intosubgeneric taxonomic levels, especially for the small-spored, food associatedspecies, which are closely related and constitute the most relevant foodpathogens from this genus.Severalcrops of agricultural value are susceptible to infection by different Alternaria species and can contribute tothe entry of Alternaria mycotoxins inthe food chain. The distribution of Alternariaspecies was studied in different commodities grown in Argentina. These foodpopulations were characterized through a polyphasic approach, with specialinterest in their secondary metabolite profiles, to understand their fullchemical potential. Alternariaspecies associated with tomato, bell pepper, blueberry, apples and wheatcultivated in Argentina showed a surprisingly high metabolomic andmycotoxigenic potential. The natural occurrence of Alternaria toxins in these foods was also investigated. The resultshere presented will provide background for discussion on regulations for Alternaria toxins in foods.

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Posted in Alternaria Toxin, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin

Research – Deep ultraviolet fluorescence sensing with multispectral imaging to detect and monitor food-borne pathogens on the leafy green phyllosphere

Posted on April 23, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Demand for sustainable and safe raw agricultural commodities is growing rapidly worldwide. Reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with fresh produce is a task which the industry and academic researchers have been struggling with for many years. There is an immediate need to devise a non-invasive optical detection system to monitor the food-borne pathogens on the leaf surface. The detection of foodborne pathogens on leafy produce is performed often too late because of the invasive techniques used to evaluate the pathogen colonization. Use of deep ultraviolet fluorescence (DUVF) sensing and visible–near infrared multispectral imaging (MSI) has previously been used to monitor plant interactions against both biotic and abiotic stress regimes. Using the patho-system that we developed to monitor Salmonella sp. and Listeria sp. ingression in leafy greens such as lettuce/spinach, we show that plant response in terms of fluctuation of chlorophyll pigments post-Salmonella/Listeria treatment is rapid. We also show that the mode of application of Salmonella/Listeria via foliar or root supplementation changes the ChlA response. Our data also reveals that the plant sentinel response in terms of early photosynthetic response may be critical to detect food-borne pathogens on leafy greens. MSI demonstrated that plant stress was detectable and proportional to the bacterial inoculation rate on plants. Our research may lead to implementation of better strategies and technology to increase yield and reduce risks associated with contamination of foodborne bacterial pathogens.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Salmonella

Research – Severe Streptococcus equi Subspecies zooepidemicus Outbreak from Unpasteurized Dairy Product Consumption, Italy

Posted on April 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Abstract

During November 2021–May 2022, we identified 37 clinical cases of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus infections in central Italy. Epidemiologic investigations and whole-genome sequencing showed unpasteurized fresh dairy products were the outbreak source. Early diagnosis by using sequencing technology prevented the spread of life-threatening S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus infections.

Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus is a β-hemolytic streptococcus expressing Lancefield group C antigen and is 1 of 3 S. equi subspecies. S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen that can infect domestic animals, pets, and wildlife (1–6). Sporadic human cases have been reported (7), characterized by clinical manifestations that vary from meningitis to sepsis. Human infection generally occurs through direct contact with infected animals or by consumption of contaminated unpasteurized milk or other dairy products (8–10). We report a large S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus outbreak in Italy.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Faecal Streptpcocci, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Group B Streptococcus, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Research – Forgotten but not gone: Yersinia infections in England, 1975 to 2020

Posted on April 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Eurosurveillance

Yersiniosis, most often caused by  is one of the most common bacterial food-borne zoonoses in Europe with reported overall incidence of 1.8 cases per 100,000 population in 2020 [1]. There is, however, marked variation among countries, with the highest numbers of cases per 100,000 population reported in Denmark and Finland (7.1 and 7.0, respectively) and the lowest in Romania and Bulgaria (0.03 and 0.06, respectively) [1]. Transmission is primarily faecal–oral via food or water contaminated with animal faeces [2]. Yersiniosis has been associated with the consumption of pork meat (raw or undercooked), occupational exposure to pigs, untreated drinking water, milk, vegetables, juices, ready-to-eat and other foods [3–6]. The incidence of yersiniosis in Europe is higher in males and in children under 5 years, and no clear seasonal pattern has been reported over the last decade [1,3]. Yersiniosis commonly presents as diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever, and can manifest as acute mesenteric lymphadenitis and terminal ileitis. Although it is usually self-limiting with a low case fatality rate (0.05%), symptoms often persist for several weeks [3,6].

The reported incidence of  infections in the United Kingdom (UK) is well below the European average (0.2 cases per 100,000 in 2019) [3]. Routine testing for  is not currently recommended in the UK, unless there is a clinical suspicion (e.g. appendicitis, mesenteric lymphadenitis, terminal ileitis or reactive arthritis) [7]. The aim of this study was to describe the changing incidence and epidemiology of diagnosed  infections in England between 1975 and 2020 and to estimate the potential under-ascertainment of  due to the lack of routine testing.

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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, Yersinia

Research – Researchers explore probiotics to control Campylobacter

Posted on April 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Feedstuffs

On-farm control measures are required to mitigate the risk of the bacteria being transmitted to humans working with poultry and people who visit poultry farms. Abdelaziz’s lab is studying the impact of inoculating eggs (in-ovo) with probiotics on gut health and immune system development of broilers before they hatch.

Probiotics are live bacteria, fungi, or yeasts that help poultry maintain healthy digestive systems. They are increasingly being included in poultry diets as alternatives to antibiotics. Abdelaziz and his team believe in-ovo technology can be used to deliver probiotics to chicken embryos and help boost chicks’ immune systems before they hatch.

During their investigation, Abdelaziz and his team have found certain probiotics (lactobacilli) applied in-ovo to chick embryos increased immune-related genes in the chicks’ guts which could promote healthy immune systems of chick embryos. Future studies will investigate whether Lactobacillus-induced immune responses protect against harmful microorganisms after chicks hatch.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus casei, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Probiotic

Researchers urge Campylobacter focus in the Czech Republic

Posted on April 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Scientists in the Czech Republic have called for a national reference laboratory for human Campylobacter infections to be created in the country.

From 2018 to 2021, 81,115 cases were reported in the electronic Infectious Disease Information System (ISIN). Slightly more men than women were sick. Campylobacter jejuni makes up the majority of cases followed by Campylobacter coli. The highest incidence was in people aged 1 to 4 years old.

Almost 10,000 people were hospitalized and 34 deaths were reported including five children younger than 5, three teenagers, seven people aged 21 to 35, and 19 people older than 57.

Preventative measures should be aimed at children younger than 5 because of the high incidence and people older than 80 who are at higher risk of severe illness and hospitalization, said scientists.

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Posted in Campylobacter, 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