Category Archives: Pathogen

New Zealand – Sandwich Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

NZHerald 

A sandwich product has been recalled due to the risk of bacteria being present.

Goodman Fielder NZ is voluntarily recalling its Gourmet Farmhouse flavour of Deli Kitchen sandwiches, due to the possible presence of listeria monocytogenes.

The recall applies only to this flavour of the sandwich with the use by dates of March 13 and 15 this year.

The product was distributed only in the North Island.

Consumers are advised to not eat this product under any circumstances because of a potentially serious health risk.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

India – Two Die Salmonella – Review of India Foodborne Disease.

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Times India

VARANASI: Two children died of food poisoning while more than 30 were admitted to a community health centre in Ghazipur district on Sunday night. The food and civil supply department officials collected samples of food articles while police registered a case against unidentified food vendors in this connection.

British Food Journal

Purpose – To review the nature and extent of foodborne diseases in India due to chemical and microbial agents.

Design/methodology/approach – The scientific investigations/reports on outbreak of foodborne diseases in India for the past 29 (1980-2009) years due to adulteration, chemical, and microbiological contamination has been reviewed. Reported scientific information on foodborne pathogens detected and quantified in Indian foods have also been reviewed.

Findings – A total of 37 outbreaks involving 3485 persons who have been affected due to food poisoning has been reported in India. Although the common forms of foodborne diseases are those due to bacterial contamination of foods, however, higher numbers of deaths have been observed due to chemical contaminants in foods.

Originality/value – A national foodborne disease surveillance system needs to be developed in India in order to enable effective detection, control and prevention of foodborne disease outbreaks.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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CIFA – Extended Recall E.coli O157

Posted on March 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The public warning issued on February 25, 2012has been expanded to include additional products and distribution information.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and New Food Classics are warning the public not to consume the no name beef burgers and beef steakettes described below because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The following products are affected by this alert:

Product Size UPC Lot Code
no name 12 Beef Burgers 1.36 kg 0 60383 37333 7 BB 2012 AL 22
EST 761
no name Club Pack Beef  Steakettes 2.27 kg 0 60383 01321 9 BB 2012 AL 22
EST 761

These products have been distributed by Loblaws nationally.

There has been one reported illness associated with the consumption of these products.

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Posted in Bacteria, CIFA, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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FSA – Review of the Food Safety (Sampling & Qualifications) Regulations 1990

Posted on March 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA

To review and update national legislation on the Food Safety (Sampling & Qualification) Regulations 1990. The primary aim will be to ensure that qualifications listed for food/public analysts and food examiners are up to date and to remove/amend obsolete provisions found within the Regulations.

All comments and reviews to be sent to:

Bhavna Parmar

SMLP Branch, ARD
Food Standards Agency
1st floor Aviation House
125 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6NH

Tel: 0207 276 8307
Fax: 0207 276 8289
E-mail: bhavna.parmar@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Responses are requested by: Monday 4 June 2012

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

China – Stricter Food Safety Rules

Posted on March 13, 2012 by | 1 comment

CRI English

A Chinese billionaire beverage tycoon said Monday that besides severe punishment, strict management and unified standards are necessary in ensuring food safety in China.

Zong Qinghou, chairman of beverage giant the Wahaha Group and China’s richest person according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2012, said severe punishment is “necessary”, but measures should be taken to prevent food contamination at “the very beginning” by curbing agricultural pollution.

“With polluted water and soil, pesticide and herbicide-tainted farm produces, antibiotics abuse and illegal uses of feed additives, there will be no food safety,” said Zong, a deputy to the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature.

Zong said the lack of unified food-safety standards has undermined China’s food safety efforts, and too many governments or departments are setting different, or even conflicting standards in food production and circulation.

Chinese courts convicted 320 people in 278 cases related to producing and distributing toxic and harmful food and additives, said another report from the Supreme People’s Court.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

FDA – Guidelines Testing for Salmonella Species in Human Foods and Direct-Human-Contact Animal Foods

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | 2 comments

FDA Link

This guidance is intended for firms that manufacture, process, pack or hold human foods or direct-human-contact animal foods intended for distribution to consumers, institutions, or food processors, in the USA. Although it does not apply to egg producers which have separate guidance.

The purpose of this guidance is to address testing procedures for Salmonella species (Salmonella spp.) in human foods and direct-human-contact animal foods, and the interpretation of test results, when the presence of Salmonella spp. in the food may render the food injurious to human health.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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Staffordshire School Closed for Another Week – E.coli O157

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Staffordshire

 A school at the centre of an E.coli outbreakis unlikely to open until the middle of next week at the earliest.

Officers from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) were at Friarswood Primary School, in Newcastle, today to collect samples from pupils and staff.

All students and workers are being tested for the potentially deadly bacteria after three cases of E.coli were confirmed this week.

A further 10 possible cases have already been identified, although no new cases of the infection, which causes sickness and diarrhoea – and in extreme cases can lead to serious, or even fatal, kidney and blood complications – have been discovered in the last 24 hours.

The HPA, which is overseeing a deep-clean of the 153-pupil school, said there is no date set for when youngsters can return to classes.

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

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Just Not Cricket – Salmonella

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Mercury

HEALTH officials are still trying to work out the source of the salmonella infection that has hospitalised four Tasmanian cricketers and an umpire.

The Tigers suspect food they ate in Adelaide on the final day of their Sheffield Shield match against South Australia last Friday was the mostly likely source of the poisoning.

But South Australia officials deny they are responsible.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

FSA – Raw Milk Review?

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Possibly in light of the recent raw milk food illness outbreaks in the USA the FSA are deciding whether to review the use and sale of raw milk in the UK.

FSA

The Board of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will decide next week whether the FSA should review the current rules governing the sale and marketing of unpasteurised, or raw, drinking milk and cream. This follows developments in the sale of raw milk which have seen producers using new routes of sale for their products, such as the internet and vending machines.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Uncategorized

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CDC Report – Firemen – Cow Barn Fire – Cryptosporidium

Posted on March 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

On June 20, 2011, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security notified the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) of an Indiana fire station that reported gastrointestinal illness among a substantial percentage of their workers, causing missed workdays and one hospitalization as a result of cryptosporidiosis. All ill firefighters had responded to a barn fire in Michigan, 15 miles from the Michigan-Indiana border on June 6.

On June 6, 2011, a fire occurred in a barn housing approximately 240 week-old calves. A total of 34 firefighters responded from three Michigan fire stations and one Indiana fire station. Local hydrant water and on site swimming pond water were used to extinguish the fire. Investigators hypothesized that exposures to calves or contaminated drinking water were potential infection sources.

The incident was investigated with the following findings, the following public health recommendations were issued: 1) discontinue swimming in the pond, 2) practice thorough hygiene to reduce fecal contamination and fecal-oral exposures, and 3) decontaminate firefighting equipment properly. No additional primary or secondary cases associated with this exposure have been reported. The findings highlight a novel work-related disease exposure for firefighters and the need for public education regarding cryptosporidiosis prevention.

 

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Posted in CDC, Cryptosporidium, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Water

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