Category Archives: outbreak

EU – Outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka ST413 linked to chicken meat

Posted on December 2, 2022 by | Leave a comment

ECDC

Foodborne Pathogen

As of 8 November 2022, 196 cases have been reported in Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Israel. Nineteen cases have been hospitalised and five cases have had septicaemia; there has been one fatal case in the UK. Cases have occurred across all age groups and there is no overall difference when gender is taken into account. 

Based on case interviews from Finland and the UK, ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken products and/or fresh chicken meat, such as those used in sandwiches and wraps, are the likely vehicles of infection. 

Following investigations, the food safety authority in Finland linked the suspected RTE products to an Estonian company, however, this link could not be verified by the identification of batches nor by microbiological evidence. The Estonian company received processed chicken meat from different suppliers, and its role 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 further up the supply chain. New cases are likely to occur in the EU/EEA until the source has been identified and controlled. 

ECDC encourages Member States to sequence S. Mbandaka isolates from human cases and interview cases with S. Mbandaka ST413 infection focusing on the consumption of various poultry meat and related products. Further investigations are recommended in cooperation with food safety authorities. 

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Posted in ECDC, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken

Hong Kong – CFS actively follows up on food poisoning clusters involving lava cake

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | 2 comments

CFS

kswfoodworld.com

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said today (November 29) that it is actively following up on four food poisoning clusters involving lava cake, including inspecting the restaurant concerned. A sample of lava cake collected from the restaurant was found to contain a pathogen, Group D Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case.

“Upon notification by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health earlier, the CFS immediately sent staff to the restaurant concerned in Tsim Sha Tsui to conduct investigation and take food and environmental samples for testing. The test result showed the presence of Salmonella in 25 grams of the lava cake sample, exceeding the criterion of the Microbiological Guidelines for Food which states that Salmonella should not be detected in 25g of a ready-to-eat food sample,” a CFS spokesman said.

The CFS has informed the restaurant concerned of the irregularity. The restaurant has already stopped selling and discarded the affected product according to the CFS’s advice. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the restaurant, and requested it to review and improve the food production process and carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.

According to section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap.132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, imported or locally produced, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

“Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death,” the spokesman said.

The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

USA – FDA Core Outbreak Table – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (reference #1127) linked to enoki mushrooms, FDA has initiated sample collection and analysis.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (reference #1113) in an unidentified product, one additional case has been added for a total case count of 270 cases and the outbreak has ended.

More information on the table at the link above.

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Posted in FDA, 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, Salmonella

USA – Norovirus likely cause of 155 ill at Monical’s Pizza

Posted on November 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Norovirus Food Safety kswfoodworld

Monical’s Pizza at 6 Cherry Tree Shopping center in Washington, Illinois is currently closed due to an outbreak of an illness.

According to the Tazewell County Health Department, Monical’s was temporarily closed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) due to an outbreak of a currently unknown foodborne illness. IDPH is currently working with the Tazewell County Health Department to identify the source.

155 people have currently reached out to the Tazewell County Health Department and reported symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting lasting 12 to 24 hours.

The health department is encouraging everyone to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer currently.

Anyone who ate at Monical’s since November 21st, and is experiencing symptoms, is encouraged to complete an online form.

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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, Norovirus, outbreak

Major E. coli, and Salmonella outbreaks highlighted at a conference; investigations ongoing

Posted on November 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Two major foodborne outbreaks have recently been highlighted at a European conference on infectious diseases.

Presentations at the European Scientific Conference on Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (ESCAIDE) covered an E. coli outbreak from Nestlé pizzas in France and a multi-country monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak due to Ferrero chocolate.

In February 2022, Santé Publique France identified more cases of the pediatric hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) than usual with eight infections. Cases were positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O26:H11 or O103:H2 identified by whole genome sequencing (WGS). Only two people were sick from E. coli O103.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O103, E.coli O26, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Microbiology Research, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, O103, outbreak, Research

UK – Milk and cheese linked to English E. coli outbreaks

Posted on November 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Three E. coli outbreaks were reported in England earlier this year with two linked to dairy farms.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) helped the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) investigate Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O103, O145, and O26 outbreaks between July and September.

The E. coli O26 outbreak also involved cryptosporidium and began in the previous quarter. There were 11 cases of cryptosporidium and two people also had confirmed E. coli O26.

Cryptosporidium cases visited an open farm attraction during the incubation period of their illness. STEC cases had links to the same premises.

Health officials visited and advised on actions that would improve hygiene for visitors and reduce potential exposure to the pathogens.

APHA collected fresh faeces samples in the O103 and O145 incidents, from the yard where the cows had been prior to milking. In both cases, the outbreak strain was not detected.

The STEC O103 outbreak with 11 cases was associated with soft, raw cheese from a dairy farm in the East of England. An investigation pointed to brie-like unpasteurized soft cheese being contaminated sometime during spring.

The STEC O145 outbreak with 10 patients was linked to the consumption of milk products from a dairy farm in North West England, with illness onset from mid-July. Investigations identified an issue with pasteurization and problems with the cleaning and storage of milk crates which made external contamination of packaging plausible.

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Posted in Cryptosporidiosis, Cryptosporidium, E.coli O103, E.coli O145, E.coli O26, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, O103, outbreak, Uncategorized

USA – Enoki Mushrooms are the Most Recalled Food of 2022

Posted on November 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

With one month to go before the end of the year, there have already been 11 Listeria recalls for enoki mushrooms, making them the food most recalled for bacterial contamination in 2022. It wasn’t a close contest. Any commodity vying for the distant second-place finish  -cheese, leafy greens, ground beef, has had fewer than half as many recalls so far this year.

And there’s a decent chance that, before the year’s end, there will be a 12th enoki mushroom recall. That’s because no recall has been issued in connection with an ongoing enoki mushroom Listeria outbreak.

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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, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

USA – Holiday Reminder: Raw Dough Can Contain Dangerous Pathogens

Posted on November 29, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

It’s time for the annual holiday reminder: raw dough can contain dangerous pathogens. While most people know that eating raw eggs is risky, fewer know that uncooked flour is also a potential hazard.

The FDA has been warning consumers about the potential dangers of raw eggs for decades. Eggs can carry Salmonella bacteria not only on the shell, but inside the egg itself. Hens can carry the pathogen in their ovaries, so the eggs are then contaminated from the inside out. Always handle raw eggs as if they are contaminated. Cook them thoroughly, and avoid recipes that use raw eggs. Eggs that are pasteurized are safe to eat raw, as long as you follow expiration dates.

There have been outbreaks linked to raw, or uncooked flour, in the past few years. Flour is a raw agricultural product and can be contaminated just like cantaloupe and romaine lettuce.

So when you are baking this holiday season, there are some things to remember. Follow package directions on baking mixes and four containers. Keep flour and eggs away from foods that are eaten uncooked. Refrigerate cookie and pastry dough if you aren’t going to be baking immediately.

Never eat or taste raw dough or cake batter unless it is made with pasteurized eggs and commercial heat-treated flour. Do not make play dough out of raw flour. Don’t use cake mixes to make milkshakes. While there are instructions for heat-treating your flour at home, the FDA doesn’t recommend it, since these treatments may not kill all pathogens. There are several brands of commercial heat-treated flour you can buy. Don’t use raw cookie dough in ice cream.

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

Norway – Outbreak of Salmonella

Posted on November 28, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Matportalen

kswfoodworld Salmonella

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has been notified by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health about a national outbreak of the gastrointestinal bacterium Salmonella Agona. So far, infection has been detected in 31 people. The source of infection is unknown.

The people who have been diagnosed with the bacteria live in 8 different counties. It is therefore likely that they are infected through a food product that is distributed throughout the country.

Salmonella Agona is rarely found in Europe, according to the Institute of Public Health. It has previously been detected in Norway, but then only as isolated cases and usually related to infection abroad.

– The Norwegian Food Safety Authority assists the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and municipal chief physicians in obtaining information from the sick persons and their relatives. Interviews are conducted about what the people have eaten and what they have been in contact with. It may also be appropriate to take samples of food and food residues and food packaging, if possible, to find the source of infection, says Catherine Svindland, senior adviser in the biological food safety section of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

If a common source of infection from food, animals or the environment is identified, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will follow up the tracing work along the food chain.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella

Sweden provides detail on outbreaks in 2021

Posted on November 28, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Sweden has noted an increase in foodborne outbreaks and illnesses in 2021 but levels were still below pre-COVID-19 pandemic figures.

The number of outbreaks reported to the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) in 2020 and 2021 was affected by measures taken during the pandemic.

There were 251 reports of suspected or confirmed food poisoning outbreaks with 1,467 illnesses. Both the number of reports and the number of cases increased compared to 160 outbreaks and 1,314 cases in 2020 but are still lower than the historical average.

When several Coronavirus-related restrictions were lifted in the autumn of 2021, the number of cases increased. Sixteen major outbreaks occurred during this season.

Eleven people have been hospitalized in seven outbreaks and one person died during a Campylobacter epidemic which infected eight people.

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