Category Archives: Microbiology

MRSA – Source From Antibiotic Treated Livestock

Posted on February 22, 2012 by | Leave a comment

mBioSPhere

A strain of MRSA that humans can contract from livestock most likely became drug resistant due to the use of antibiotics on the farm. That’s according to the authors of a study in mBio this week, who looked closely at the genetic relationships among strains of the antibiotic resistant bacterium MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). They discovered that ST398, a type of MRSA found in livestock that can also be passed to humans was originally a human strain, and it developed resistance to antibiotics once it was picked up by farm animals. The finding illustrates a very close link between antibiotic use on the farm and potentially lethal human infections.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, MRSA, Pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus

German Girl dies E.coli EHEC

Posted on February 22, 2012 by | Leave a comment

BarfBlog

The translation is rough and details sketchy, but Focus is reporting a 6-year-old girl from Hamburg died over the weekend from the effects of EHEC, which probably means some strain of shiga-toxin producing E. coli.

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Posted in E.coli, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, STEC

Clostridium perfringens Toxin US Ham Product

Posted on February 21, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Bites

21 attendees of a catered lunch from an unliecensed cater in Las Vegas reported diarrhea and vomiting
– Toxin associated with Clostridium perfringens was isolated from some of the attendees
– The pathogen was found in ham and a plate of mixed food that was served at the luncheon
– Microwaves often heat foods unevenly making take the temperature with a tip-sensitive thermometer in multiple spots.

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Posted in Clostridium perfringens, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Toxin

Chlorine Dioxide – Listeria monocytogenes Control

Posted on February 21, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct – To purchase full report

Food Production Daily

Chlorine dioxide (CIO2) gas has the capacity to completely inactivate Listeria monocytogenes (LM) on ready-to-eat (RTE) meat processing equipment, according to new research.

 

 

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen

Viet Nam – Food Safety

Posted on February 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Viet Nam News 

HCM CITY — Health officials have called on local food and beverage enterprises to strictly follow the regulations on food safety to protect consumer rights and product quality.

Around 10,000 food-poisoning cases occur yearly. Phong said that last year inter-sector inspectors found many violations of food-advertising regulations.

Under a Government plan, 100 per cent of food-processing factories would qualify to receive food-safety certificates and 70 per cent of food processors and consumers and producers would be knowledgeable about food-safety practices.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen

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Australia Food Recall – Salad – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on February 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

NSW

S&B Gourmet Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd is recalling batches of their salad sold in NSW and VIC in IGA, Superbarn, and Thomas Dux supermarkets.

The batches are being recalled because of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. This bacteria can cause illness especially in pregnant women, children under 5 years, people over 70 years and people with weakened immune systems.

The recalled product is:

  • Salad Servers Chickpeas with Roast Pumpkin Salad in 350g and 500g sealed plastic containers, with ‘use-by’ date 23/02/12

The recall only applies to the above batches of the product and date.

Consumers in the vulnerable groups above should take care to not eat the product.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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CIFA – Beef Product Recall – E.coli O157

Posted on February 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and New Food Classics are warning the public not to consume certain Country Morning Beef Burgers, and no name Club Pack Beef Steakettes described below, because the products may be contaminated with E. coliO157:H7.

The Country Morning Beef Burgers product has been distributed to COOP and TGP grocery stores in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northwest Territories.

There has been one reported illness associated with the consumption of this product.

Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria my cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea. Some people may have seizures or strokes and some may need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis. Others may live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

 

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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US Raw Milk – Campylobacter

Posted on February 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Campylobacter Blog 

Your Family Cow Campylobacter Outbreak the number ill in the campylobacter outbreak has now reportedly risen to 77.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The state of California is investigating Claravale Farm for the possibility that its raw milk was contaminated with Campylobacter. Last week, the dairy stopped distributing its products to the stores that sell it. Raw milk and raw milk products are legally available in California

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Posted in Campylobacter, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

More E. coli Research

Posted on February 17, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

In the wake of the devastating European E. coli outbreak linked to sprouts that killed at least 50 people and sickened more than 4,000, experts from the European Union and the United States are calling for new research on how to combat toxic strains of E. coli.
 
In November of 2011, 4 months after the outbreak ended, an international group of public health officials, medical professionals, epidemiologists, microbiologists and environmental scientists met to determine what lessons can be drawn from this epidemic. The results of this summit were released Thursday in Eurosurveillance. 
 
The group determined that more needs to be learned about shiga toxin-producing E. colis (STECs) such as E. coli O104:H4, the strain responsible for the European outbreak.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O104, E.coli O157, E.coli O26, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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New 3M™Molecular Platform for the Detection of Salmonella and E. coli O157

Posted on February 17, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Available worldwide, the 3M Molecular Detection System is based on an innovative combination of unique technologies involving isothermal DNA amplification and bioluminescence detection. The system was designed with 3M’s customer testing needs in mind, which translates into a compact, simple, robust system that offers easy implementation and low maintenance without compromising accuracy and reliability.

3M Link 

Video Link

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Posted in E.coli O157, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Rapid Micro Methods, Salmonella

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