RASFF – Salmonella (in 1 out of 4 samples) in soybean meal from Argentina in Italy
RASFF -Salmonella infantis (presence /50g) in soyabeanmeal from Brazil, via Germany in Denmark
RASFF -Salmonella spp. (present /25g) in fish meal from Panama in Spain
RASFF – Salmonella spp. (in 3 out of 5 samples /25g) in fish meal from Mauritania in Denmark
RASFF -Salmonella spp. and high count of Enterobacteriaceae in feed for food-producing animals from Mauritania in Denmark
Ottawa, September 19, 2013 – The public warning issued on September 17, 2013 has been updated to include an additional product.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm (EST 4478) are warning the public not to consume the Mild Gouda Cheese described below because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
This recall is the result of an ongoing food safety investigation initiated as a result of a recent outbreak investigation. There may be recalls of additional products as the investigation at this facility continues.
Lot codes 122 to 138 are affected by this recall.
Some product packages may not bear a lot code or indicate that the cheese was made with raw milk. This product may also have been sold clerk-served from deli counters with or without a label or coding. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the affected product are advised to contact their retailer.
There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.
The manufacturer, Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm, Salmon Arm, BC is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
The outbreak of E. coli linked to Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm in Canada has resulted in one death, as well as 10 confirmed and six suspected illnesses, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The victim who died was from British Columbia. Three more B.C. residents fell ill, while the other seven cases are in Alberta. The agency is investigating another six illnesses that appear to be connected.
The bacteria, which cause severe gastrointestinal illness and even death in humans, are spread by consuming contaminated food and water, or by contact with livestock faeces in the environment. Cattle are the main reservoir for the bacterium. The vaccines that are available for cattle are rarely used, but the latest study suggests the public health benefits could be significant.
The research was lead by a team of researchers at the University of Glasgow in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Veterinary College, Scotland’s Rural College, Health Protection Scotland, and the Scottish E. coli O157/VTEC Reference Laboratory.
The study, published in the online journal PNAS, used veterinary, human and molecular data to examine the risks of E. coli O157 transmission from cattle to humans, and to estimate the impact of vaccinating cattle.
The city of Ovalle in Chile’s Coquimbo region suffered a massive outbreak of norovirus in the first week of September, infecting 3,000-plus residents, due to insufficient chlorine levels in the potable water supplied by water utility Aguas del Valle, according to a release by the regional health authority Seremi.
Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Spoilage, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, Norovirus, Pathogen, Toxin, Virus, Water
Tagged chlorine levels, coquimbo region, massive outbreak, norovirus, regional health authority
One in ten sausages may carry the hepatitis virus: Cases of rare deadly strain have rocketed 40% in a year.Once considered very rare, cases have risen by nearly 40 per cent in a year, 1 in 50 of those infected will die, rising to one in five pregnant women.
Sausages most dangerous pork product – they contain liver meat
Dairy products made by the New Zealand company Fonterra that were at the center of a global contamination scare this month did not contain a bacterium that could cause botulism and posed no food safety threat, New Zealand officials said on Wednesday.
The Ministry for Primary Industries said tests showed that whey protein concentrate manufactured by the world’s largest dairy processor contained Clostridium sporogenes, which cannot cause botulism but which at elevated levels can be associated with food spoiling.
Initial tests conducted by Fonterra and a New Zealand government research institute had indicated the presence of Clostridium botulinum, raising fears that infant formula and sports drinks made from the product and widely exported could be dangerous.
The botulism scare caused a recall of products made by multinational brands that may have contained the whey protein in markets like China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It also prompted bans in Russia and Sri Lanka.
Ottawa, September 17, 2013 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm (EST 4478) are warning the public not to consume cheese products described below because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
This recall is the result of an ongoing food safety investigation initiated as a result of a recent outbreak investigation. There may be recalls of additional products as the investigation at this facility continues.
All sizes of the raw milk cheeses listed in the link above are affected by this recall.
These affected products were sold at the manufacturer’s outlet, at retail stores in Alberta and British Columbia, and through internet sale from May 27 to September 14, 2013, inclusive.
Lot codes 122 to 138 are affected by this recall.
Some product packages may not bear a lot code or indicate that the cheese was made with raw milk. These products were also sold clerk-served from deli counters with or without a label or coding. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the affected product are advised to contact their retailer.
There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
The manufacturer, Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm, Salmon Arm, BC is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Testing, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged canadian food inspection, canadian food inspection agency cfia, food, raw milk cheeses, restaurants, salmon arm bc
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is an EU agency [1] with a mandate to operate surveillance networks and to identify, assess, and communicate current and emerging threats to human health from communicable diseases. The agency became operational in 2005. Initially, data were collected for 49 diseases (2008), with three more added in 2012. All data are entered in ECDC’s database system, known as the European Surveillance System (TESSy). Epidemiological overviews of all diseases are provided in the ECDC’s Annual Epidemiological Report. The surveillance of salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis and Shiga toxin/verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC) infection was carried out until 2007 by an EU-funded dedicated surveillance network, Enter-net, which was hosted by the Health Protection Agency in the United Kingdom. In October 2007, the coordination of Enter-net was transferred to ECDC and Enter-net is now under the auspices of the Programme of Food- and Waterborne Diseases and Zoonoses (FWD). After the transfer, the scope was broadened to also cover listeriosis, yersiniosis and shigellosis. For the six priority diseases, surveillance was developed further in close collaboration with nominated disease experts, epidemiologists and microbiologists. This report is the first dedicated epidemiological report on these six diseases, offering a detailed analysis for the years 2006 to 2009. The intended readership includes public health and food safety professionals, policymakers, scientists, and the general public.
Posted in ECDC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Poisoning, Research, Uncategorized
Tagged food safety professionals, health protection agency, surveillance networks, waterborne diseases
Food Alert – Not to Consume Milk Formula Produced from Ingredients Suspected of Contamination with Clostridium Botulinum
| Issue Date | 2013-08-06 | |
| Source of Information | The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) | |
| Food Product | Growing up formula [Updated on 17 September 2013: Recall Completed] | |
| Name of Importer | ||
| Product name and Description | Product name: Cow & Gate Happy Kid 3 (growing up formula for 1 to 3 years old) Importer: Danone Baby Nutrition (HK) Limited Package: 900 grammes Place of origin: New Zealand Batch: 3178 and 3179 Best before date: 27 June 2015 and 28 June 2015
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| Reason For Issuing Alert |
The concerned milk formula was produced from ingredients suspected to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum | |
| Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety |
– The concerned importer has taken the initiative to recall the relevant product. The CFS will monitor closely the recall. – The CFS will continue to keep close liaison with the New Zealand authority and the local trade, keep an eye on the latest development, and take appropriate actions whenever necessary. The CFS will also report the latest situation to the public to keep them abreast of the most updated situation. |
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| Advice to the Trade |
– The trade should stop sale of the product. | |
| Advice to Consumers | – Members of the public who had purchased the product should immediately stop feeding it to their young children. | |
| Further Information | – The CFS press release – Members of the public can call CFS’ designated hotline 3978 0600 operating between 9am and 9pm today (6 August) should they have any enquiries about the affected product. It will operate between 9am and 6pm from 7 to 9 August. – The Department of Health has set up a hotline 2125 1111 for public enquiries. Operating hours are from 9am to 9pm today (6 August), and 9am to 6pm from 7 to 9 August. |
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Partnership for Food Safety Education
This is website that may interest some of you;
For 5 years, we’ve been busting common food safety myths to help you protect your family from foodborne illness. From leftovers to lemon juice, you might think there’s nothing left to cover!
For National Food Safety Education Month 2013, we’re going where Home Food Safety Mythbusters has not gone before — to the kids!
Kids are more likely to get food poisoning than most adults are. Knowing fact from fiction when it comes to food safety risks could mean the difference between safe kids and sick kids.
Know what is fact and what is fiction. Check out this year’s myths and facts, and free downloads, here.
FoodWorld 