Category Archives: Pathogen

Research – Power Law for Estimating Under-detection of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks, United States

Posted on February 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Abstract

We fit a power law distribution to US foodborne disease outbreaks to assess under-detection and underreporting. We predicted that 788 fewer than expected small outbreaks were identified annually during 1998–2017 and 365 fewer during 2018–2019, after whole-genome sequencing was implemented. Power law can help assess effectiveness of public health interventions.

Each year in the United States, >800 foodborne outbreaks are reported, causing >14,000 illnesses and >800 hospitalizations (1–3). Foodborne outbreaks range from small, localized outbreaks, such as those associated with a locally contaminated meal shared by family or friends, to large, multistate outbreaks associated with a contaminated food that is widely distributed. Selection and information biases, pathogen testing methods, and outbreak size can affect detection, investigation, and reporting (4). However, few methods are available to estimate the extent of outbreak under detection and underreporting.

Outbreaks can be considered natural occurrences with a mathematical relationship between frequency and size. Several studies have used a power law distribution, where one variable is proportional to the power of another, to help describe disease outbreaks or transmission (5–9). We examined the mathematical relationship between foodborne outbreak frequency and size to estimate the number of expected outbreaks of different sizes, comparing power law, log-normal, and exponential distributions by using censored and complete data to clarify under detection and underreporting.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research

Research – Inhibition of Food-Borne Pathogen Growth and Biogenic Amine Synthesis by Spice Extracts

Posted on January 28, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Food-borne pathogens and their toxins cause significant health problems in humans. Formation of biogenic amines (BAs) produced by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids in food is undesirable because it can induce toxic effects in consumers. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the effects of natural additives with high bioactivity like spice extracts to inhibit the growth of these bacteria and the formation of BAs in food. In the present study, the antibacterial effects of diethyl ether spice (sumac, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper) extracts at doses of 1% (w/v) on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni, Aeromonas hydrophila, Salmonella Paratyphi A, and Yersinia enterocolitica) food-borne pathogen bacterial strains (FBP) were established. In addition, the accumulation of ammonia (AMN), trimethylamine (TMA), and biogenic amines (BAs) in tyrosine decarboxylase broth (TDB) was investigated by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sumac extract exhibited the highest antibacterial potential against all FBPs, followed by cumin and peppers. AMN (570.71 mg/L) and TMA (53.66 mg/L) production were strongly inhibited by sumac extract in the levels of 55.10 mg/L for Y. enterocolitica and 2.76 mg/L for A. hydrophila, respectively. With the exception of S. aureus, black pepper dramatically reduced the synthesis of putrescine, serotonin, dopamine, and agmatine by FBP especially for Gram-negative ones. Furthermore, sumac extracts inhibited histamine and tyramine production by the majority of FBP. This research suggests the application of sumac extracts as natural preservatives for inhibiting the growth of FBPs and limiting the production of AMN, TMA, and BAs.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbial Spoilage, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, Research

Research – Application of Ultrasound Treatments in the Processing and Production of High-Quality and Safe-to-Drink Kiwi Juice

Posted on January 27, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

This study explores the potential of thermosonication as an alternative to traditional heat treatments, such as pasteurization, in the processing of fruit juices. Conventional methods often lead to undesirable quality changes in fruit juices, whereas thermosonication offers promising results regarding microbial inactivation and quality preservation. This work focused on the inactivation kinetics of Listeria innocua 2030c, a surrogate for pathogenic L. monocytogenes, in kiwifruit juice using thermosonication at 45 °C, 50 °C, and 55 °C. These treatments were compared with equivalent heat treatments. Quality attributes of the juice were also evaluated to assess process efficiency. Survival data of L. innocua were fitted with the Weibull model, estimating first decimal reduction times (δ) and shape parameters (n). The results reveal temperature and process dependencies on δ, while n remains mostly temperature and treatment independent. Thermosonication outperforms heat treatment, achieving higher L. innocua reductions while retaining quality attributes like pH, soluble solid content, and total phenolics and chlorophylls. Thermosonication at 55 °C stands out, providing a 6.2-log-cycle reduction in just 3 min with superior quality retention. These findings highlight the synergistic effect of temperature and ultrasound, making mild heat processes feasible while enhancing product quality. Thermosonication, particularly at 55 °C, emerges as an effective alternative to traditional thermal treatments for fruit juices, offering improved microbial safety without compromising product quality.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Listeria, Listeria innocua, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Technology, Thermosonication

UK- Research – How pathogen genomics could help us detect new health threats and improve vaccines.

Posted on January 25, 2024 by | Leave a comment

UKSHA

Pathogen genomics is an important tool in our mission to prepare for and respond to infectious disease threats as well as food safety.

Our new 5-year Pathogen Genomics Strategy will establish a unified programme to enhance and expand our excellence in this field. Using pathogen genomics, we will increase our understanding of infectious disease risks, and enable effective evaluation of interventions to mitigate them.

In this blog post at the above link, we will explore the role of pathogen genomics in UK biosecurity and how we are developing our genomic systems to better protect public health in the UK.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Safety, Food Safety Management, food safety training, Genomics, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Whole Genomic Sequencing

Research – Yersinia enterocolitica biovar 1A: An underappreciated potential pathogen in the food chain.

Posted on January 24, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

Highlights
Y. enterocolitica was isolated from chicken (74%), pork (80%), salmon (80%) and leafy green (10%) samples

Up to five Y. enterocolitica sequence types (STs) were isolated from the same food sample

Isolates from the same sample and ST differed by 0-74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)

Almost all (99%) food Y. enterocolitica isolates were biotype 1A

Around half (51%) of food samples contained an ST previously isolated from UK human sources.

Abstract

Yersinia enterocolitica is an underreported cause of foodborne gastroenteritis. Little is known of the diversity of Y. enterocolitica isolated from food and which food commodities contribute to human disease. In this study, Y. enterocolitica was isolated from 37/50 raw chicken, 8/10 pork, 8/10 salmon and 1/10 leafy green samples collected at retail in the UK. Up to 10 presumptive Y. enterocolitica isolates per positive sample underwent whole genome sequencing (WGS) and were compared with publicly available genomes. In total, 207 Y. enterocolitica isolates were analyzed and belonged to 38 sequence types (STs). Up to five STs of Y. enterocolitica were isolated from individual food samples and isolates belonging to the same sample and ST differed by 0–74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Biotype was predicted for 205 (99 %) genomes that all belonged to biotype 1A, previously described as non-pathogenic. However, around half (51 %) of food samples contained isolates belonging to the same ST as previously isolated from UK human cases. The closest human-derived isolates shared between 17 and 7978 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the food isolates. Extensive food surveillance is required to determine what food sources are responsible for Y. enterocolitica infections and to re-examine the role of biotype 1A as a human pathogen.

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Posted in Emerging Pathogen, Food Pathogen, Pathogen, pathogenic, WGS, Whole Genomic Sequencing, Yersinia, yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Research – Most major pathogens see an increase in Ireland

Posted on January 24, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The number of E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria infections has gone up in Ireland, according to 2022 data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting rates for giardiasis, listeriosis, norovirus, rotavirus, salmonellosis, shigellosis, and toxoplasmosis in Ireland decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels. Still, rates for campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, E. coli, and yersiniosis increased or remained unchanged. In 2022, most of these diseases returned to or remained at pre-pandemic levels.

A 2021 cyber-attack at the Health Service Executive (HSE) also affected data validation and collection, reporting of enhanced data variables, and outbreak notification.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Cryptosporidiosis, Cryptosporidium, E.coli, Food Pathogen, Giardia, Listeria, Norovirus, Pathogen, pathogenic, Rotavirus, Yersinia, yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Research – Deep Impact: Shifts of Native Cultivable Microbial Communities on Fresh Lettuce after Treatment with Plasma-Treated Water

Posted on January 19, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Foods consumed raw, such as lettuce, can host food-borne human-pathogenic bacteria. In the worst-case, these diseases cause to death. To limit illness and industrial losses, one innovative sanitation method is non-thermal plasma, which offers an extremely efficient reduction of living microbial biomass. Unfortunately, the total viable count (TVC), one of the most common methods for quantifying antimicrobial effects, provides no detailed insights into the composition of the surviving microbial community after treatment. To address this information gap, different special agars were used to investigate the reduction efficiency of plasma-treated water (PTW) on different native cultivable microorganisms. All tested cultivable microbial groups were reduced using PTW. Gram-negative bacteria showed a reduction of 3.81 log10, and Gram-positive bacteria showed a reduction of 3.49 log10. Fungi were reduced by 3.89 log10. These results were further validated using a live/dead assay. MALDI-ToF (matrix-assisted laser-desorption-ionization time-of-flight)-based determination was used for a diversified overview. The results demonstrated that Gram-negative bacteria were strongly reduced. Interestingly, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi were reduced by nearly equal amounts, but could still recover from PTW treatment. MALDI-ToF mainly identified Pseudomonas spp. and groups of Bacillus on the tested lettuce. These results indicate that the PTW treatment could efficiently achieve a ubiquitous, spectrum-wide reduction of microbial life.

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Posted in Bacillus, Bacillus cereus, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Gram Negative Bacteria, Malditof, Pathogen, pathogenic, Pseudomonas, Research

Hong Kong – CFS finds Salmonella in sample of salty chicken

Posted on January 16, 2024 by | Leave a comment

CFS

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 15) that a sample of salty chicken was found to contain a pathogen, Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case.

“The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a booth at an exhibition in Wan Chai for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme, the booth number was Booth 3B15 of Friendship Rainbow Company Limited at the Hong Kong Food Festival. The test result showed the presence of Salmonella in 25 grams of the 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 spokesman for the CFS said.

The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the above irregularity and instructed it to recall the relevant food product. Members of the public may call its hotline at 5708 1363 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. The CFS is also tracing the source and distribution of the product concerned. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.

For the sake of prudence, the CFS appealed to members of the public who had purchased salty chicken from the above-mentioned booth at the exhibition held from December 23 to 27, 2023 not to consume them. If symptoms develop after consuming the food, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

According to section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, 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 people 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. Investigation is ongoing.

Ends/Monday, January 15, 2024

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Posted in CFS, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Pathogen, pathogenic, Salmonella

FDA Advises Restaurants and Retailers Not to Serve or Sell and Consumers Not to Eat Certain Whole, Live Scallops Believed to Be Harvested from a Prohibited Area in Massachusetts and Distributed by Intershell International Corp (MA 7802 SP)

Posted on January 11, 2024 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Audience

  • Restaurants and food retailers in Illinois (IL), Massachusetts (MA), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), and Pennsylvania (PA) that have recently purchased certain Intershell International Corp (MA 7802 SP) whole, live scallops that were received from an unlicensed harvester, believed to be harvested from prohibited waters in MA and incorrectly labeled as harvest location FED 514, with harvest dates 12/26/23, 12/27/23 and 01/01/24.
  • Consumers in IL, MA, NJ, NY, and PA who have recently purchased or consumed certain Intershell International Corp (MA 7802 SP) whole, live scallops, that were received from an unlicensed harvester, believed to be harvested from prohibited waters in MA and incorrectly labeled as harvest location FED 514, with harvest dates 12/26/23, 12/27/23 and 01/01/24.

Product

Certain whole, live scallops that were received from an unlicensed harvester, believed to be harvested from prohibited waters in MA and incorrectly labeled as harvest location FED 514, with harvest dates 12/26/23, 12/27/23 and 01/01/24 that were distributed to IL, MA, NJ, NY, and PA. It is possible that these scallops may have been distributed to other states as well.

Purpose

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to eat, and restaurants and food retailers not to sell, and to dispose of certain Intershell International Corp (MA 7802 SP) whole, live scallops that were received from an unlicensed harvester, believed to be harvested from prohibited waters in MA and incorrectly labeled as harvest location FED 514, with harvest dates 12/26/23, 12/27/23 and 01/01/24 because they may be contaminated. The scallops were directly distributed to distributors and retailers in IL, MA, NJ, NY, and PA and may have been distributed further from these states.

Scallops harvested from prohibited waters may be contaminated with human pathogens, toxic elements or poisonous or deleterious substances and can cause illness if consumed.

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Posted in FDA, Food Pathogen, food recall, Pathogen, pathogenic, product recall, Recall, Shellfish, shellfish toxin

Research – Adhesion to and survival of foodborne pathogens in produce and strategies for their biocontrol

Posted on January 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Abstract

Foodborne pathogens can cause gastrointestinal infections in consumers and in some cases can even lead to outbreaks. In the last decade, it has been observed that some zoonotic pathogenic bacteria can use plants as secondary hosts. Contamination with foodborne bacteria becomes relevant in foods that are regularly eaten raw, such as lettuce, cilantro, fenugreek, rocket leaves, basil, and so forth, and some fruits such as tomatoes, melons, and green peppers; because the elimination of these pathogenic bacteria is difficult to achieve with conventional sanitization processes. Contamination of produce can occur throughout the entire production chain. In farmlands, pathogenic bacteria can contaminate the seed, mainly when contaminated water is used for irrigation. Later, bacteria can reach other plant tissues such as the stems, leaves, and fruits. Another form of contamination is when the produce is in contact with faeces from domestic, production, or wild animals. Additionally, poor handling practices during harvest, packaging, distribution, and sale can contaminate produce. Studies have shown that foodborne pathogens can adhere to produce, sometimes forming a biofilm, and can also be internalized into the plant or fruit, which protects them from sanitation processes. For this reason, in this text we address three biocontrol strategies such as bacteria, lytic bacteriophages, and some fungi, as an alternative approach for the control of both foodborne and plant pathogens. Additionally, the use of these biological agents can represent an advantage for the development of the plant, making them a good strategy to favour yield.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Pathogen, Research, Zoonosis