RASFF – Salmonella enterica (presence /25g) in frozen chicken meat from Brazil in the Netherlands
RASFF – Salmonella enterica (presence /25g) in poultry meat preparation from Brazil in the Netherlands
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Category Archives: Pathogen
RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Ochratoxin – Rice Bran – Groundnuts – Nutmeg – Pistachios
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 230 µg/kg – ppb) in rice bran from Sweden
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 4.3 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Brazil in the Netherlands
RASFF – Ochratoxin A (23.1 µg/kg – ppb) in ground nutmeg with raw material from India, packaged in Hungary in Ireland
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 103.6; Tot. = 116.1 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted shelled pistachios from Turkey in Germany
USA – Recall – Salmonella – Tahini Paste
Krinos Foods of New York is recalling Tahini sesame paste because it may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Healthy people infected with Salmonella can experience fever, diarrhea which may be bloody, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of this product.
The recalled Tahini is in 1 pound and 2 pound glass jars. The UPC code of the 1 pound jar is 0-75013-28500-3 and the UPC code of the 2 pound jar is 0-75013-28510-2. The recalled lots have a expiration date code on the lid between “EXP OCT 16 – 2014″ up to and including “EXP MAR 15 – 2015″. The Michigan Department of Agriculture conducted routine sampling and found the contamination.
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella
Tagged food, food posioning, krinos foods, michigan department of agriculture, pound jar, restaurants, routine sampling, salmonella bacteria
Research – Foodborne Illness Outbreaks from Microbial Contaminants in Spices, 1973-2010
This review identified fourteen reported illness outbreaks attributed to consumption of pathogen-contaminated spice during the period 1973-2010. Countries reporting outbreaks included Canada, Denmark, England and Wales, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Serbia, and the United States. Together, these outbreaks resulted in 1946 reported human illnesses, 128 hospitalizations and two deaths. Infants/children were the primary population segments impacted by 36% (5/14) of spice-attributed outbreaks. Four outbreaks were associated with multiple organisms. Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica was identified as the causative agent in 71% (10/14) of outbreaks, accounting for 87% of reported illnesses. Bacillus spp. was identified as the causative agent in 29% (4/10) of outbreaks, accounting for 13% of illnesses. 71% (10/14) of outbreaks were associated with spices classified as fruits or seeds of the source plant. Consumption of ready-to-eat foods prepared with spices applied after the final food manufacturing pathogen reduction step accounted for 70% of illnesses. Pathogen growth in spiced food is suspected to have played a role in some outbreaks, but it was not likely a contributing factor in three of the larger Salmonella outbreaks, which involved low-moisture foods. Root causes of spice contamination included contributions from both early and late stages of the farm-to-table continuum.
USA – FDA Recall – Herring Fillet in Oils and Spice – Listeria monocytogenes
Prime Food USA, 50st & 1st Ave Building # 57, Brooklyn NY 11232, is recalling Latis Brand Herring Fillet “Antalja” in Oil and Latis Brand Herring Fillet in Oil with Spices due to contamination with listeria monocytogenes. Listeria can cause serious complications for pregnant women, such as stillbirth. Other problems can manifest in people with compromised immune systems. Listeria can also cause serious flu-like symptoms in healthy individuals.
The recalled Latis Brand Herring Fillet “Antalja” in Oil is packaged in 7 oz (200 grams) plastic containers with a code: Best before (L): 11.02.2014. The UPC code is: 4 751004 071607. Latis Brand Herring Fillet in Oil with Spices is packaged in 7 oz (200 grams) plastic containers with a code: Best before (L): 11.02.2014. The UPC code is: 4 751004 079429. The products were sold in New York State.They are products of Latvia
The recall initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis of the product by Food Laboratory personnel found the product to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. Consumers who have purchased Latis Brand Herring Fillet “Antalja” Herring in Oil and Latis Brand Herring Fillet in Oil with Spices should not consume it, but should return it to the place of purchase.Consumers with questions may contact the company at 718-439-0376
Research – Antibiotic-Free Turkey Less Likely to Harbor Resistant Bacteria
Ground turkey from birds raised without antibiotics is less likely to be contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria than conventional ground turkey, according to a new study published by Consumer Reports today.
The group tested 257 samples of raw ground turkey meat and patties, purchased from major retailers nationwide, for Enterococcus, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Campylobacter and then looked at what portion of these bacteria were resistant to antibiotics. They found high levels of bacteria overall – 90 percent of samples tested positive for one of the five – and more than half were resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics. But the bugs found in products labeled “no antibiotics,” “organic,” or “raised without antibiotics” were resistant to fewer antibiotics than their conventional counterparts.
Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, Enterococcus, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus
Tagged classes of antibiotics, food safety news, health, staphylococcus aureus
UK – FSA – Where You are Eating Ratings and App
Check the food hygiene rating before you eat out. Go to
or download the app.
Research – Food Safety – Irradiation
When electron beam technology is used to process food, it is called food irradiation. Food Irradiation, like pasteurization, can prevent countless infections because it destroys the pathogens than cause the illness.
Food borne illness is one of the most common preventable public health problems in the world today. Several measures can be taken in processing plants to help mitigate the problems, but none have the potential to be more effective than irradiation processing. Common pathogens such as e.coli and salmonella are easily destroyed when irradiated.
Today, 38 countries, including the United States, have approved the use of irradiation processing for a wide variety of food items. Test market studies have shown that the general public accepts irradiated items and actually prefers them over non-irradiated items when educational materials are available at point of purchase.
Media scrutiny about e.coli outbreaks and salmonella poisonings are becoming a common occurrence. People are becoming more aware of these very real concerns. In time, the general public will readily accept this valuable technology. With all the endorsements and proof that irradiated foods are 100% safe to consume, how could they not?
In today’s world, we have the proven technology that is capable of eliminating common food borne diseases.
These diseases cause sickness and death to countless numbers of people the world over.
USA – Extended E.coli O121 Outbreak – Farm Rich Products
Five more victims in four states were added Friday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to the list of confirmed cases in the rare Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 outbreak associated with Farm Rich brand products.
The additional victims—one each in California, Colorado, and Ohio and two in Florida—bring the total number of individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E coli O121 (STEC O121) to 32.
CDC says 35 percent of the victims have required hospitalization and two developed the kidney-damaging hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths have been reported among the mostly young (81 percent are age 21 or under) victims.
Posted in CDC, E.coli, E.coli O121, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen
Tagged environment, food safety news
Europe – Norovirus Ongoing Outbreak in Frozen Berries Report -Hepatitis A
A food-borne outbreak of hepatitis A in Denmark was notified to other countries on 1 March 2013. A case–control study identified frozen berries eaten in smoothies as potential vehicle. In the following weeks, Finland, Norway and Sweden also identified an increased number of hepatitis A patients without travel history. Most cases reported having eaten frozen berries at the time of exposure. By 17 April, 71 cases were notified in the four countries. No specific type of berry, brand or origin of berries has yet been identified.
As of 17 April 2013, 36 cases, of whom 15 were confirmed, have been identified in Finland, Norway and Sweden, giving a total of 71 cases in the four countries (Table 1). Finland and Norway have reported confirmed cases with sequence 1 and 2. In Sweden, two of the eight confirmed cases have an HAV IB sequence with 2% difference to sequence 1 and 1% difference to sequence 2 (called sequence 3).
The overall median age for cases and the median age for confirmed cases is 25 years (range: 3–78 years); 43 cases are female. In Norway and Sweden (but not Finland), more women are affected than men. The distribution of cases by month and HAV sequence type is shown in Figure 1. As of 17 April 2013, Sweden is the only country with cases with symptom onset in April. An increased number of travel-related hepatitis A patients in the same time period (Table 1) may be explained in part by patients infected in Egypt [1].
Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Research, Virus
Tagged nature, science, transportation
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