Substantiation of the standards for Campylobacter on chicken meat
Campylobacter bacteria are among the most important causes of foodborne disease in the Netherlands. Approximately 30 per cent of all cases of illness are attributed to the consumption and preparation of broiler chicken meat.
This mainly concerns cross-contamination in the kitchen from chicken meat to product that are consumed raw, like salads, and to a lesser extent under cooked meat. Research by RIVM has shown that a large point of these illnesses can be prevented if the number of bacteria on chicken meat after industrial production is reduced.
Recently there is increased attention for hygiene in the farm to fork production check including slaughterhouses. In this context, the Dutch government intends to limit the level of Campylobacter bacteria on chicken meat, a so-called process hygiene criterion. If higher levels are repeatedly found, the slaughterhouse needs to improved processing hygiene RIVM has evaluated the impact of different (more or less stringent) criteria, both on public health and on the costs for the poultry industry.
A critical limit of 1000 Campylobacter bacteria per gram would reduce the number of human disease cases by two-thirds. The costs to the poultry industry to meet this criterion (estimated at 2 million euro per year) are considerably lower than the averted costs of illness (approximately 9 million euro per year).
According to the Chicago Tribune, the DuPage County Health Department closed an unnamed Lombard restaurant in connection with the investigation into four confirmed cases of E. coli in people admitted to a county hospital this week, officials said today.
Jason Gerwig, a public information officer for the DuPage County Health Department, said his agency is looking at a Lombard restaurant as a possible source for the outbreak, and said the restaurant had been temporarily closed at 5 p.m. Friday as part of the investigation. Gerwig said the total number of cases confirmed or under investigation is about 10.
The four confirmed cases were all hospitalized at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, officials said Friday. Jim Silvestri, a spokesman for Good Samaritan, said Friday that eight people had come to the hospital feeling ill and that four had been admitted.
The public warning issued on June 12, 2013 has been updated to include additional distribution information.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Sunsprout Natural Foods are warning the public not to consume the Sunsprout and SproutsAlive brand alfalfa sprouts described below because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
The manufacturer, Sunsprout Natural Foods, Brantford, Ontario, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
Broward County has issued a boil water notice for its water customers, since E. coli has been found in the municipal system. The cities affected by this notice include the City of Dania Beach, the City of Hallandale Beach, the City of Hollywood, and Broward County WWS customers in service area 3A and 3BC. That affects parts of Dania Beach, Hollywood, Miramar, West Park, Pembroke Park, and Pembroke Pines including the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Do not drink the water without boiling it first. Bring all water, including the water you use to wash your hands and use in the kitchen, to a rolling boil. Let it boil for one minute, then let it cool before using it. Bottled water can be used instead of tap water if you prefer. Only use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, preparing food, and washing dishes until further notice.
RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in salad iceberg from Hungary in Italy
A toxin dangerous to humans may help E. coli fend off aquatic predators, enabling strains of E. coli that produce the toxin to survive longer in lake water than benign counterparts, a new study from researchers from the University at Buffalo and Mercyhurst University finds.
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, STEC, Toxin
Wellesley Health Department (WHD) received notice by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) surveillance system on June 12, 2013 of a case of E. coli in a Wellesley resident.
The origin of the cases’ illness is being investigated.
Rumors have been circulating that the cause of the illnesses has been linked to a local supermarket. At this point, no local supermarkets are a focus of the investigation.
GUANGZHOU, June 12 (Xinhua) — A total of 160 staff from a food company in south China’s Guangdong Province were suspected of suffering from food poisoning, a company source said on Wednesday.
They had symptoms of chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhea after having dinner at the third canteen of the Dongguan Hsu Chi Food Co. Ltd based in Dongguan City on Monday, said Sun Tianzhen, a media relations officer of Hsu Fu Chi International Ltd. told Xinhua.
Dongguan Hsu Chi Food Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary of Hsu Fu Chi International Ltd.
A 57-year-old female plate washer at the canteen was found dead at her dormitory on Tuesday but it is yet to know whether her death is connected with food poisoning or not, said Sun.
FoodWorld 