Category Archives: Pathogen

UK – Takeaway Owner Jailed for E.coli Outbreak

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | 5 comments

BBC NewsEcoli Istock

The owner of a Cardiff takeaway has been jailed for eight months following an outbreak of E. coli.

Diar Wali Ali admitted at Cardiff magistrates’ court to 23 food hygiene offences and was jailed on Monday.

In August 2011, nine customers fell ill with food poisoning after visiting the Adonis Kebab House in City Road, Roath.

The takeaway was closed for two weeks while inspections were carried out and the council was satisfied the risks had been removed.

Councillor Derek Morgan, chair of Cardiff council’s public protection committee, said people had a right to eat safe food and certain levels of hygiene.

“However, where poor hygiene practices and substandard conditions are found, we take immediate action to safeguard public health,” he said.

“I hope this case helps to show how seriously we take this commitment and demonstrate that, where appropriate, we will use the full force of the law to ensure food safety regulations are met.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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USA – Raw Milk Cheese Recall – E.coli STEC

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

E.coli Blog

The State Milk Board, in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, announced today that Homestead Creamery of Jamesport, Mo. is voluntarily withdrawing a batch of its Flory’s Favorite cheese from the marketplace.

Preliminary test results received from the Missouri State Health Laboratory indicate the cheese may be contaminated with Shiga-Toxin producing E.coli, which can lead to food borne illness. Confirmatory tests are ongoing.

The Homestead Creamery plant license to sell milk products in Missouri has been temporarily suspended, pending the results of the investigation by the State Milk Board and Missouri departments of Agriculture and Health and Senior Services.

The withdrawn product, Flory’s Favorite, is a 60-day aged cheese made with raw milk. Packages of the cheese are marked with “Packed On 210″ on the label. This affects approximately 250 pounds of cheese and does not affect any other dairy products from Homestead Creamery.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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USA – CDC – Pet Hedghogs and Salmonella Typhimurium

Posted on January 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CDChttp://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Olaf1541

A total of 16 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 7 states.

  • The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Indiana (1), Michigan (3), Minnesota (2), Ohio (2), Oregon (1), and Washington (6).
  • 30% of ill persons for whom information is available have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
  • 50% of ill persons are children 10 years of age or younger.
  • Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback findings have linked this outbreak of human Salmonella infections to contact with pet hedgehogs purchased from multiple hedgehog breeders in different states.
  • It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching hedgehogs or anything in the area where they live and roam. Adults should supervise hand washing for young children.

I must admit I did not even know that you could get pet Hedghogs

 

Picture Courtesy of http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Olaf1541

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Posted in Bacteria, Microbiology, Pathogen, Pet Food, Salmonella

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USA – Raw Milk STEC Outbreak

Posted on January 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

 Food Poisoning Journal

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has become aware of several cases of diarrheal illness from northwest Missouri, possibly caused by Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including one confirmed as E. coli O103. These may be related to the consumption of locally-produced, raw (unpasteurized) dairy products.

DHSS recommends that any person who has signs or symptoms of STEC infection seek medical care. Health care providers should evaluate patients adequately to determine if testing for STEC infection is warranted.

Symptoms of STEC infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which is often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high. Most patients’ symptoms improve within 5–7 days, but some patients go on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), usually about a week after the diarrhea starts. The classic triad of findings in HUS are acute renal damage, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O103, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Microbiology, O103, outbreak, Pathogen

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USA – Sister Sarah Products Recall – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on January 12, 2013 by | 1 comment

Food Safety News

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning consumers not to eat “Sister Sara’s Good for You” products because they may have been improperly produced, making them susceptible to contamination with Clostridium botulinum.

No illnesses have been linked to any of the affected products at this time. The products were sold at certified farmers markets in Alameda County.

Sister Sara of Pleasanton, CA., recalled the products after CDPH discovered they were produced without the required controls to prevent formation of botulism toxin. Ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed foods can lead to serious illness and death.

The products were sold under the Sister Sara label and packaged in one-pint glass canning jars with screw-on metal lids. The products were labeled as “Sister Sara’s Good for You Soup,” “Sister Sara’s Bread & Butter Pickles,” “Sister Sara’s Pickled Beets,” and “Sister Sara’s Old Fashioned Dill Pickles.”

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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Canada – KFC – Taco Bell Lettuce – E.coli

Posted on January 12, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinSalmonella

The source of an E.coli outbreak that has sickened at least 16 people in Canada was lettuce served at Taco Bell and KFC restaurants, health officials in New Brunswick have discovered.  The outbreak affected three provinces: New Brunswick, where six people became ill and Nova Scotia and Ontario which each had five cases.

“Based on the information we have collected and shared with other provinces, we believe that lettuce has been a common food source among cases,” said Dr. Eilish Cleary, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health. “Since lettuce has a limited shelf life, it is highly unlikely that some from the affected lots remain in restaurants.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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USA – FDA Extended Smoked Fish Call -Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on January 12, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDAFDA

GIANT Food Stores, LLC and MARTIN’S Food Markets, following a recall by Ocean Beauty Seafoods LLC, announced it removed from sale several varieties of smoked salmon due to possible contamination by listeria monocytogenes.

The following products are included in this recall:

* Nathan’s Nova Salmon, 3 o.z., UPC 7303080368, all sell by dates * Nathan’s Nova Salmon, 8 o.z., UPC 7303080369, all sell by dates * Lascco Smoked Salmon, 3 o.z., UPC 7284001703, all sell by dates

We have received no reports of illnesses to date. Customers who have purchased the product should discard any unused portions and bring their purchase receipt to GIANT/MARTIN’S for a full refund.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

UK – FSA Second Update Recall of Tofu – Bacillus cereus

Posted on January 10, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FSAfood_standards_agency_logo

The Food Standards Agency is issuing a second updated Food Alert for Action on the Koon Yick Wah Kee rose bean curd (tofu) and chilli bean curd (tofu) originating from China via The Netherlands, because of confirmation that further tofu from the same company has high levels of Bacillus cereus.

The affected products have a best before date of 30 December 2013 but there are currently no distributions details available. The levels of the bacteria detected can cause vomiting or diarrhoea.

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Posted in Bacillus, Bacillus cereus, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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Australia New Advice About Listeriosis – Rising Number of Cases

Posted on January 10, 2013 by | Leave a comment

NSW Food Authority

The NSW Food Authority advises those most at risk to avoid the following ready to eat foods:

  • soft cheese such as brie, blue, fetta, camembert and ricotta
  • cold chicken or turkey particularly if sliced or diced – such as used in chicken sandwiches
  • cold meats, pate and meat spreads
  • pre-prepared or packaged salads greens and salads
  • raw seafood such as oysters, sashimi, smoked salmon or oysters (canned oysters are safe)
  • sushi
  • unpasteurised dairy products including raw goat’s milk and Roquefort cheese

“Signs of listeriosis include flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhoea that can sometimes lead to septicemia, meningitis and in some cases, miscarriage in pregnant women,” Dr McAnulty said.

Investigations into listeriosis are complex as it can be difficult to identify the source. Symptoms of illness can take up to 70 days to appear.

Healthy people usually show only mild symptoms. However, in people at risk, early symptoms of listeria infection include fever, headache, tiredness and aches and pains.

Other useful links can be found at the base of the articel in the link above.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Methods, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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USA – Another Smoked Fish Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on January 10, 2013 by | 1 comment

FDAFDA

As precautionary measure, Delifish has decided to expand the voluntary recall to include cold smoked products related to Julian dates 235 to 345, the previous voluntary recall included cold smoked products related to Julian dates 249- 291. There have been no new detections on products placed on the market in relation to this expansion.

The expansion means that all cold smoked products that have been produced in the same period as the product type which initially tested positive in the U.S.A. are now voluntarily recalled. The decision is taken in agreement with the FDA and is carried out as a precautionary measure.

There have been no complaints or illnesses reported. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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