40 students of Shinganamala Kasturba Gurukula Vidyalaya in Andhra Pradesh’s Ananthapuram district fell ill after eating lunch at the school.
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Category Archives: Microbiology
India – Andhra Pradesh Food Poisoning: 40 Students of Shinganamala Kasturba Gurukula Vidyalaya Fall Sick After Eating Lunch in Anantapur
Posted in Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk
USA – An interesting study about cooking frozen chicken and Salmonella illness.
After repeat U.S. outbreaks of salmonella tied to frozen, breaded and stuffed chicken products, researchers are now pointing to microwave cooking as a key driver of illness.
Producers began implementing labelling changes in 2006 to more clearly identify these products as raw; many warn against using microwave ovens (microwaves) to prepare them and provide validated cooking instructions solely for conventional ovens (ovens)
However, outbreaks continued to occur after implementation of these labelling changes
Although ovens were the most commonly reported appliance used to cook frozen stuffed chicken products, more than one half of respondents (54.0%) reported using other appliances instead of or in addition to ovens, including microwaves (29.0%), a circumstance that historically has been reported frequently by ill persons in outbreaks associated with frozen stuffed chicken products. Respondents with lower incomes and who live in mobile types of homes reported lower oven use and higher microwave use. Persons within these groups might be at increased risk for illness related to both challenges in preparing these foods and access to appliances.
Efforts to prevent Salmonella infections linked to frozen stuffed chicken products have relied on manufacturers to develop validated cooking instructions and labelling to alert the consumer to which appliances are recommended to cook them (i.e., ovens). Studies indicate that microwaves, air fryers, and toaster ovens inconsistently heat frozen stuffed chicken or frozen raw breaded chicken
Therefore, cooking instructions often do not include information about cooking the product in air fryers or toaster ovens and might warn against using microwaves. However, previous studies have found that some consumers infrequently read package instructions (8,9), including one report that found some consumers discarded packaging when the products were brought home and never saw cooking instructions . In this survey, 30% of respondents reported using an air fryer, 29% a microwave, and 14% a toaster oven. These findings suggest that relying on labelling and cooking instructions might not be sufficient to prevent illness. Further, even when cooking these products in an oven, verifying the temperature of the finished product is important. However, food thermometer usage can be low; one study found that even among persons who owned a food thermometer, only 38% typically used them to check doneness of frozen chicken products.
Posted in 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, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken
USA – Botulism from food causes the death of a respected outdoorsman from Jackson Hole
Wyoming social media reports the death of 55-year-old Hans Russell, who succumbed to botulism after being conscious but also completely paralyzed for several weeks in a Salt Lake City hospital.
Russell was a popular outdoorsman and river guide in Jackson Hole, WY. His death is blamed on a solo camping trip to Idaho where he consumed a can of soup that was not properly refrigerated. The doctors in Salt Lake City who fought to keep him alive came to believe that the single can of soup was the source of the botulism toxin Russell consumed.
Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Death, food death, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Toxin
India – 80 girls hospitalised due to food poisoning in Singanamala
Singanamala: About 80 girl students of Singanamala Kasturba government residential school fell sick and complained of stomach pain, vomiting and dycentry after consuming puffed rice (maramaralu) and drinking boost on Friday evening. The incident came to light late night on Friday. The students were rushed to local government hospital for treatment. However, 30 of the 50 students were referred to Government headquarters hospital for better treatment.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning
Iran – Hundreds Of Food Poisonings In Iran’s Universities Raise Alarm
Food poisoning affecting hundreds of Iranian university students has alarmed many who claim canteen food was deliberately contaminated to keep them out of protests.
In the past couple of days “a large number of students” at Arak Industrial University and Kharazmi University in Karaj came down with symptoms of food poisoning including diarrhea, body aches, and vomiting, the Telegram channel of a national student union said Thursday.
There were food poisoning breakouts recently at two other universities, Al-Zahra University in Tehran and Isfahan University of Technology both believed to have originated from canteens.
Calling the incidents another case of “serial food poisoning”, the channel said, authorities of Arak University attribute the illness, which has sent many to hospital since Wednesday, to some sort of virus but given a similar incident at Isfahan university of technology last week where many students got seriously ill after eating canteen food makes authorities’ explanation implausible.
Posted in Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning
EU – Annual report of the Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment 2022
Abstract
Among the tasks of EFSA, according to its founding regulation (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), there is the establishment of a system of Networks of organisations operating in the fields within EFSA’s mission, the objective being to facilitate a scientific cooperation framework by the coordination of activities, the exchange of information, the development and implementation of joint projects, the exchange of expertise and best practices. The Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA Network) had its first meeting in 2007. Currently, 25 European Union Member States and two observer countries (Switzerland and Norway) are participating in the MRA Network. The 22nd meeting was held on 18‐19 October 2022 as a hybrid‐meeting in Parma and online. A wide range of activities related to microbial risk assessment were presented including impact of Vibrio infections, activities on Campylobacter in broilers, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, transfer of anisakid allergens to meat, risk assessment of monkey pox transmission through food and risk‐based classification of food establishments as well as an invited presentation on ionophor resistance in poultry. Activities of the EFSA BIOHAZ panel and the BIOHAW Unit were presented.
Research – Multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka ST413, possibly linked to consumption of chicken meat in the EU/EEA, Israel and the UK
A cross-border outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka ST413 has been ongoing in the EU/EEA, Israel, and the UK since September 2021. By 8 November 2022, 196 cases had been reported in Czechia (n=5), Estonia (n=3), Finland (n=89), France (n=10), Germany (n=2), Ireland (n=1), the Netherlands (n=1), the United Kingdom (n=81), and Israel (n=4), according to the European case definition. Nineteen cases were hospitalised and five cases had septicaemia. One case in the UK died.
Based on case interviews from Finland and the UK, ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken products and/or fresh chicken meat are the likely vehicles of infection. Fifteen cases in Finland reported consumption of six RTE products from three brands. All 15 cases had consumed at least one RTE chicken product. Two products were marketed under the same brand name, which is adopted by the Estonian Company A and the Finnish Company B. Based on additional information, such as purchase data, and consultation of the grocery chains selling the products and of the Finnish Company B, the food authority in Finland linked the products to the Estonian Company A. However, this link could not be verified by the identification of the batches nor by microbiological evidence. The Estonian Company A received processed chicken meat from different suppliers, but there is no further information in RASFF. Therefore, the role of the Estonian Company A as a source of infection could not be established.
Epidemiological data and microbiological evidence from whole genome sequencing of human isolates indicate there are several active sources through different food distribution chains, with a likely common source higher up in the chicken supply chain. New cases are likely to occur in the EU/EEA until the source has been identified and controlled.
Further investigations are needed by public health and food safety authorities to identify the source(s)/origin of contamination.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken
Research – Treatment of Fresh Meat, Fish and Products Thereof with Cold Atmospheric Plasma to Inactivate Microbial Pathogens and Extend Shelf Life
Abstract
Assuring the safety of muscle foods and seafood is based on prerequisites and specific measures targeted against defined hazards. This concept is augmented by ‘interventions’, which are chemical or physical treatments, not genuinely part of the production process, but rather implemented in the framework of a safety assurance system.
The present paper focuses on ‘Cold Atmospheric pressure Plasma’ (CAP) as an emerging non-thermal intervention for microbial decontamination. Over the past decade, a vast number of studies have explored the antimicrobial potential of different CAP systems against a plethora of different foodborne microorganisms.
This contribution aims at providing a comprehensive reference and appraisal of the latest literature in the area, with a specific focus on the use of CAP for the treatment of fresh meat, fish and associated products to inactivate microbial pathogens and extend shelf life. Aspects such as changes to organoleptic and nutritional value alongside other matrix effects are considered, so as to provide the reader with a clear insight into the advantages and disadvantages of CAP-based decontamination strategies.
Posted in Cold Plasma, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Research
Research – Study on the Effect of Relaying on Norovirus Reduction from Crassostrea gigas Oysters
Abstract
Norovirus (NoV) is the most important cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis worldwide, mainly associated with the consumption of raw oysters. NoV is often present in oysters that comply with existing control standards for shellfish. Therefore, the improvement of post-harvest treatments and practices can represent one of the main strategies to reduce the incidence of viral diseases related to shellfish. This study aimed to investigate long-term relays for the reduction of NoV levels in live oysters, during the high-risk cold months, by transferring the oysters from a more contaminated site to two sites with lower NoV levels. The efficacy of relaying was evaluated by analyzing oyster samples collected at days 0 (T0) and 30 (T30) for NoV levels using a real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The NoV level at the relay sites was consistently lower than at the harvest site. The relay process for 30 days in seawater with a lower NoV level resulted in a decrease in the NoV load compared to day 0 with significant reductions depending on the site and genogroup of NoV considered. These results suggest that long-term relaying of oysters to reduce NoV levels is promising and could help growers to improve oyster safety; however, further investigations are needed.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Virus, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, Norovirus Oysters, Virus
Research – Occurrence of Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin a during Merkén Pepper Powder Production in Chile
Abstract
Berry fruits of Capsicum annuum L. cv. “Cacho de Cabra” are used for the manufacture of a traditional pepper powder known as Merkén. In the present study, aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in berry fruits of C. annuum was determined at harvest, drying, and smoking stages of Merkén production, in cumin and coriander seeds used as Merkén ingredients, and in the final packaged Merkén produced by local farmers. Additionally, Merkén samples from local markets in the region of La Araucanía (Chile) were also evaluated. Chromatographic analysis was based on a qualitative method. AFs and OTA were not detected on pepper pods and seeds. There was no detection of AFs and OTA on cultured Aspergillus and Penicillium strains isolated from pepper pods, cumin and coriander seeds and Merkén. The lack of AFs/OTA-producers among the isolated fungal species can explain and support the absence of contamination in pepper pods. In contrast, the AFB1 was detected in 75% of Merkén obtained from farmers and 46% of Merkén samples purchased from local markets; while OTA was detected in 100% of Merkén samples obtained from farmers and local markets. In the Merkén production chain, the harvest and post-harvest are key stages for fungal growth while the commercialization stage is highly susceptible to AFs and OTA contamination.
Posted in Aflatoxin, Alternaria Toxin, Aspergillus 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, Ochratoxin, Ochratoxin A
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