Category Archives: Microbiology

USA – Recall – Smoked Salmon – Listeria monocytogenes

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Spence & Co. of Massachusetts is recalling New York-Style Nova Lox in 4 ounce packages with code/lot number 9720704 because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall affects a total of 1,563 packs of the product. Two people may have been stricken with listeriosis associated with the consumption of this product.

UK – London – Norovirus Outbreak

London Evening Standard

A Primrose Hill school was closed today after more than 200 pupils and 15 members of staff were struck down with the contagious Norovirus.

Health inspectors ruled the winter vomiting bug was present at North Bridge House Preparatory School. The building in Gloucester Avenue was being cleansed today amid fears the virus could spread to the school’s other buildings.

In a letter sent to parents, headteacher Brodie Bibby said the school was “afflicted by a particularly unpleasant virus.”

Any children showing signs of sickness were told to be kept at home by parents, she wrote – adding that any children still well enough were invited to attend a planned performance of Swan Lake tomorrow night.

She added that “a specialist team will clean the entire school with anti-viral sprays and use air-based products.”

One parent told a local newspaper that his daughter “suddenly turned white and projectile vomited all over her bedroom” after being struck down with the illness this week.

North Bridge House, which also has a nursery school, a junior and a senior school at different sites in Camden, will reopen on Monday.

European Alerts – Aflatoxins and Salmonella

RASFF 1 / RASFF 2 – Aflatoxin in Dried Figs in Germany sourced in Turkey two alerts

RASFF – Salmonella in Bovine Meat in Italy, Portugal and Malta sourced in Italy

RASFF – Salmonella in Soya Bean Meal in Poland sourced in the USA

RASFF – Salmonella in Whole Forzen Chicken in Finland sourced in the Netherlands

RASSF – Salmonella in Paan Leaves in the UK sourced in Bangladesh

 

 

Belgian – Recall – Soft Cheese- Listeria monocytogenes

Het Dischhof decided as a precaution to withdraw from the sale of several lots of soft cheese “Keiems Bloempje natuur” and “Keiems Bloempje puts Kruiden.” The reason for this withdrawal is the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Recall – English

 

Australia – Recall – Yoghurt – E.coli

AVA

 Voluntary recall of B.d Farm Paris Creek Organic Biodynamic Yoghurt Apricot from Australia completed

November 2012: The Food Standards Australia New Zealand has issued an alert on the recall of a batch of yoghurt product from B.d Farm Paris Creek Pty Ltd due to microbial contamination. (E.coli)

 

USA – E.coli Outbreak Linked to Unpasteurised Cider

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan, along with Community Health and the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development are investigating a series of E. coli infections that may be associated with unpasteurized, unlabeled apple juice in Antrim County. Officials are collecting stool samples and samples of the cider to test for the outbreak strain of the bacteria.

The cider was made by an unlicensed facility and was not labeled as unpasteurized.

USA – FDA Recalls – Salmonella – Nestle Chocolate Nesquick and Fresh Express Spinach

FDA

Nestlé USA announced the voluntary recall of limited quantities of Nestlé NESQUIK® Chocolate Powder in the 10.9, 21.8 and 40.7 ounce canisters. The voluntary recall is limited to only NESQUIK Chocolate Powder, which was distributed nationally. No other varieties of NESQUIK powder or any sizes or flavors of NESQUIK ready-to-drink are affected by this recall.

Nestlé is removing the canisters from distribution because the company was notified by an ingredient supplier, Omya Inc. that it has issued a recall of certain lots of its ingredient, calcium carbonate due to possible presence of Salmonella. Calcium carbonate is used in NESQUIK as an ingredient. There have been no reports of any illnesses or adverse health effects associated with the affected product.

FDA

Charlotte, North Carolina – Fresh Express Incorporated is conducting a voluntary, precautionary recall of a limited quantity of Fresh Express Spinach with a Use-by Date of November 7 and Product Code of S299B25 due to a possible health risk from Salmonella.

No illnesses or consumer complaints have been reported to Fresh Express at this time in association with this recall. No other Fresh Express products are subject to this recall.

The recall notification is being issued out of an abundance of caution due to an isolated instance in which a random sample yielded a positive result for Salmonella under U.S. Department of Agriculture’s random sample testing program. Fresh Express is coordinating closely with regulatory officials.

Belgian – Research – Grape Seed Extract Reduces the Infectivity of Norovirus

HACCPEUROPA – Full Article

Norovirus causes more than half of all food-borne illnesses in the United States, and is the second greatest source of reported food borne illness outbreaks in the European Union. A norovirus is a small virus that contains RNA and is surrounded by a protein coating. By sequencing the RNA, scientists have discovered that there are many different types of norovirus. Originally, strains were named based on the city in which they were first identified. Thus, one common strain used to be called Norwalk virus. Based on genetic typing, we now know that there are at least 25 different strains of norovirus that affect humans.

A recent study found that grape seed extract could reduce the infectivity of Norovirus surrogates.

Researchers from Ghent University, Belgium have shown that grape seed extract does so by denaturing the capsid protein, which is the coat of the virus, thereby disabling the virus.

In the study, the researchers observed that under treatment with grape seed extract, at low doses, the spherically-shaped murine (mouse) norovirus-1 coat proteins clumped, and showed obvious deformation and inflation. At higher doses, the researchers saw no coat proteins, only protein debris. This provides evidence that grape seed extract could effectively damage the norovirus capsid protein, which could reduce viral binding ability and infectivity accordingly.

UK – Another Crusie Ship Virus Outbreak

BBC News

A cruise ship delayed its departure from Southampton after a suspected outbreak of norovirus on board. Celebrity Cruises’ vessel Constellation arrived in the city’s port at 06:00 GMT at the end of a 12-night cruise. Southampton’s Port Health Authority said about 350 passengers had fallen ill with the vomiting and diarrhoea bug. Its departure was delayed until 20:00 while deep cleaning took place.

The authority’s Rosie Zambra confirmed it was informed of “concerns over an increased levels of what appeared to be norovirus” several days before the ship’s arrival.

USDA – Revised Microbiology Methods Links

USDA Methods Book

USDA Isolation of Non 0157 Shiga Toxin E.coli with Appendix

USDA Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes with Appendix

USDA Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes PCR