Category Archives: Microbiology

Research Packaging Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on July 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A new study conducted by the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgiahas found that antimicrobial packaging can make food safer. Scientists looked at the effectiveness of antimicrobial packaging structures in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products.

They inoculated cooked ham with Listeria monocytogenes, then packaged it in antimicrobial packaging. The samples were stored at 4 degrees, 10 degrees, and 22 degrees Centigrade, then tested for aerobic bacteria (bacteria that need oxygen to live and reproduce), Entereobacteriaceae, and Listeria monocytogenes two times over four weeks. They found that packaging with an oxygen scavenger or a carbon dioxide generator was effective at reducing bacterial growth, and that packaging with an allyl isothiocyanate (AIT) generator was less effective.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Research

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FSA – Update Olives and Botulisum

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA 

The Food Standards Agency is warning people not to eat a certain batch of Italian olives sold in jars after one person became ill with botulism poisoning after eating them. The Agency has now received further information from the Italian Authorities confirming that 60 jars of the affected Divini Di Chicco Francesco olives product were distributed to one supplier in the UK.

Divini Di Chicco Francesco olives

The Agency has issued an updated Food Alert for Action. The news story about the original Food Alert for Action, which was issued on 25 July 2012.

The UK supplier has confirmed that the implicated product was distribution to three independent delicatessens in the UK between July 2011 and July 2012. These delicatessens have been visited by the supplier and any remaining stock of the product has been removed from sale.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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RASFF Alerts – Listeria, STEC, Algae, Histamine

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Algae in Bottled Spirng Water Dennmark

RASFF – Listeria Sliced Smoked Salmon in Italy sourced in Denmark

RASFF – STEC E.coli Roquefort Cheese in France

RASFF – Hisatmine in Sardines in France sourced in Morocco

 

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Histamine, Hygiene, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall

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Canada – Advisory Alert Shellfish Vibro parahaemolyticus

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | 1 comment

CDC BC 

The BC Centre for Disease Control is reminding the public there’s a risk of illness associated with eating raw or undercooked bivalve shellfish such as oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and cockles.

 Shellfish may accumulate bacteria(Vibrio parahaemolyticus), viruses (norovirus, hepatitis A), and toxins (paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning) or other impurities present in the water. Thorough cooking destroys bacteria and viruses, but does not destroy toxins.

 To date in 2012, five cases of locally-acquired Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection have been reported. In 2011, 42 cases of vibrio were reported. These illnesses have been linked to raw shellfish served in restaurants, bought at retail, or self-harvested in communities throughout the province including, Gibsons, Sechelt, Powell River, Ladysmith, Qualicum, Ucluelet, Gabriola Island, Cortes Island and Parksville.

In addition to individual cases, BC has also experienced outbreaks associated with shellfish. In 2010, an outbreak of norovirus from raw oysters affected over 30 people and in 2011 more than 60 people became ill after consuming cooked mussels contaminated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Shellfish, Toxin, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

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Chinese Infant Formula Recall – Aflatoxin

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Reuters

China’s Hunan Ava Dairy Co Ltd said on Monday it will recall baby formula sold under its Nanshan Bywise brand after a cancer-causing agent was found in test samples, the latest blow to the country’s scandal-ridden milk industry struggling to restore consumer confidence.

Five batches of Nanshan Bywise infant milk powder produced between July and December last year failed sample tests for aflatoxin, a toxin produced by a fungus that is widespread in nature

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, Moulds, Pathogen

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Research – Listeria Control on Smoked Salmon by X – Ray

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

Abstract

In this study, smoked salmon fillets were artificially inoculated with L. monocytogenes (3.7±0.2 log CFU/g) and treated with X-ray irradiation generated by a RS 2400 X-ray machine (Rad Source Technologies Inc.) using doses of 0.0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kGy. Unirradiated and irradiated samples were then stored at 5°C for 35 days and tested for L. monocytogenes count after 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 days. Also, uninoculated-untreated and uninoculated-treated samples with the lowest and highest X-ray doses (0.1 and 2.0 kGy) were stored at 5°C and examined for psychrotrophs and mesophiles counts after 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 days. The initial L. monocytogenes population (3.7 log CFU/g) was significantly (p<0.05) reduced to an undetectable level (< 1.0 log CFU/g) by treatment with 1.0 kGy X-ray. Treatment with 0.1 kGy X-ray significantly reduced the initial psychrotrophs and mesophiles counts from 5.3 and 3.0 to 3.3 and 2.3, respectively. However, L. monocytogenes, psychrotrophs and mesophiles counts were gradually increased during storage. Treatment with 2.0 kGy X-ray kept the L. monocytogenes population under detectable level until 35 days. Treatment with 2.0 kGy X-ray kept the mesophiles and psychrotrophs counts within the acceptable level until 35 days. These results revealed that treatment with X-ray irradiation can significantly reduce the risk of Listeriosis and extend the shelf life of smoked salmon during storage at 5°C.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Safety, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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US – Gills Foods Onions Recall Expandend – Listeria – Other Products Affected

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Gills Onions LLC of California is expanding its July 18 recall of diced and slivered red and yellow onions and diced celery and onion mix to include more products. Now, diced, slivered, and whole peeled onions and diced onion/celery mix with use-by dates on or before August 3, 2012 are included in the recall for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Sartori Inspirations, LLC is recalling some Ciolo Products sold at Whole Foods Market stores because they may contain onions from Gills Onions. That product may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The Gills Onions were recalled on July 18, 2012.

Spartan Stores

Spartan Stores today is announcing an URGENT FOOD RECALL of two (2) Central Kitchen products shipped between July 13th  through July 26th, 2012 that contain onions produced by Gills Onions, LLC of Oxnard, CA. The recall is in connection with the expanded voluntary recall announced on July 25, 2012 by Gills Onions of their diced and slivered red and yellow onion products due to possible contamination with Listeria Monocytogenes.

Publix

Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for custom sub sandwiches that contain onions because they may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. Publix received notification from their supplier, who receives sliced onions from Gills Onions LLC. This recall involves any custom made sub sandwich with onions sold from the Publix Deli department between July 7, 2012 through July 26, 2012 in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Publix stores in Florida are not involved with this recall.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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RASFF and European Alerts – Salmonella/Mould/Entero/Histamine

Posted on July 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella in Poultry Meat Flour in Germany sourced in the Netherlands

RASFF – Mould in Cheddar Cheese in Denamark sourced in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella in Frozen Chicken in France sourced in Poland

RASFF – Salmonella in Turkey Carcass in France

RASFF – Salmonella/Entero in Feed Protein in Belgium sourced from France.

RASFF – Histamine in Tuna Loins in Italy sourced in France.

French Only – Sprouted Seeds – Salmonella

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Posted in Bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Histamine, Microbiology, Moulds, Pathogen, Pet Food, Salmonella

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HPA – Warning Clostridium boutlinum – Italian Olives

Posted on July 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPA 

Tests carried out by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) identified the toxin that causes botulism in a jar of Italian olives after an Oxfordshire resident was admitted to hospital with botulism poisoning. No further cases have been identified to date.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is now asking people who have bought jars of the implicated olives not to eat them and to contact their local authority environmental health food safety team to arrange collection of the product.

The implicated olives are “Olive Bella Di Cerignola” produced by ‘I Divini’. These are large green olives from the Puglia region of Italy and are packaged in brine in glass jars with a lot number of 161/11 and best before date of 10/06/2014. This type of olive is distributed under a number of different brand names but only the I DIVINI di Chicco Francesco brand is associated with this incident.

The HPA is working with the local authority environmental health department and the Food Standards Agency on the investigation. Botulism is rare in the UK – there have only been 33 recorded cases of food-borne botulism in England and Wales since 1989, with 27 of these linked to a single outbreak.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Foodborne Illness, HPA, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen

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UK – Legionnaires Outbreak – Stoke on Trent

Posted on July 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

BBC

Seven people are being treated for Legionnaires’ disease in an outbreak in Stoke-on-Trent.

Those affected are six men and a woman, aged between their late 40s and 75, health officials said. wo men in their 70s are described as “stable” and the other patients are said to be “improving”.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said all seven patients were being treated at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Illness, Legionella, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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