Category Archives: pathogenic

Research – Risk of Foodborne Illness from Pet Food: Assessing Pet Owners’ Knowledge, Behavior, and Risk Perception

Posted on July 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

JFP

Pet food has been identified as a source of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella and Escherichia coli. A recent outbreak linked to Salmonella -contaminated pet treats infected over 150 people in the United States. The mechanism by which contaminated pet food leads to human illness has not been explicated. Pet owners’ food safety knowledge and their pet food handling practices have not been reported. This study evaluated pet owners’ food safety knowledge and pet-food handling practices through an online consumer survey. The survey consists of 62 questions and assesses (1) owners’ food safety knowledge and pet-food handling practices; (2) owners’ interaction with pets; (3) owners’ risk perception related to their own health, their children’s health, and their pets’ health. The survey was pilot-tested among 59 pet owners before distribution to a national consumer panel, managed by Qualtrics XM. All participants (n=1,040) were dog and/or cat owners in the United States. Almost all pet owners interacted with their pets (93%) and most cuddled, allowed their pets to lick them, and slept with their pets. Less than one-third of pet owners washed their hands with soap after interacting with their pets. Over half (58%) the owners reported washing their hands after feeding their pets. Most pet owners fed their pets dry pet food and dry pet treats. Some fed their pets raw meat or raw animal product (RAP) diets because they believed these diets to be beneficial to their pet’s overall health. Many owners (78%) were unaware of pet food recalls or outbreaks associated with foodborne pathogens. Less than 25% considered dry pet foods and treats as a potential source of foodborne pathogens. The findings of this study indicated the need for consumer education about pet food handling. The data collected can assist in developing more accurate risk assessment models and consumer education related to pet food handling.

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Pet Food, Pet Food Testing, raw pet food, Research, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research -Cyclospora: A Long-term Challenge for Food Suppliers

Posted on July 2, 2020 by | Leave a comment

World Aware

Outbreaks of cyclosporiasis, an illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, occur almost every year in the US, and this summer is no exception. People can become infected with Cyclospora by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite. Since May 1, more than 206 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported across 8 states in the Midwest.

Based on interviews with patients, investigators traced the outbreak back to bagged salad mix. The recent outbreak of Cyclospora infections highlights the importance of compliance with the Food and Drug Administration Produce Safety Rule and specifically worker health and hygiene principles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have made attempts to better understand the factors contributing to Cyclospora infections.  However, many cases of cyclosporiasis cannot be directly linked to an outbreak, in part because of the lack of validated molecular typing tools for Cyclospora cayetanensis.

It is likely, in the future, new analysis methods will be developed to differential strains of Cyclospora, if there is enough genetic diversity. This will allow a way to focus more quickly on illness clusters and more rapid traceback of food vehicles to production sites. This should allow for environmental assessments at production sites to determine routes of contamination and prevention option.

In the meantime, the best we can do is to emphasize the importance of compliance with the Food and Drug Administration Produce Safety Rule, and specifically worker health and hygiene principles.

 

 

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Posted in Cyclospora, Cyclosporiasis, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Parasite, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Uncategorized

Research – A bacterium that causes food-borne illness grows flagella under stressful conditions

Posted on June 26, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Massive Science CDC E.coli

Micro-organisms, especially bacteria, play essential roles in our bodies, especially in our guts. Some bacteria are beneficial, and some like E.coli are harmful. Another Escherichia strain (in the same genus as E. coli) named Escherichia albertii is also pathogenic to humans, causing diarrhea and food-borne illnesses.  E. albertii was identified for the first time during an illness outbreak in Bangladesh.

Pathogenic bacteria like E. albertii are very motile, meaning they move around a lot. They are able to do this using hair-like structures called flagella. E. albertii was originally described as non-hairy bacterium and thus far has been considered to be a non-motile pathogenic micro-organism.

 

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Posted in E.albertii, E.coli, Escherichia albertii, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Uncategorized

Research -The European Union control strategy for Campylobacter spp. in the broiler meat chain

Posted on June 12, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide and the most frequently reported foodborne pathogen in the European Union (EU). While campylobacteriosis is generally self‐limiting, some patients could develop severe sequelae. The predominant source of infection is poultry. This review addresses the most relevant factors influencing the prevalence and contamination level of Campylobacter spp. in the poultry chain continuum. The emphasis was put on the novel control strategy for Campylobacter that is based on evidence‐based risk assessment and the introduction of process hygiene criterion intended for monitoring the prevalence and counts of Campylobacter spp. on broiler carcasses at slaughter level. The reduction of Campylobacter spp. in the poultry meat chain in the EU can only be achieved with an integrated meat safety assurance approach. This includes primary interventions at the level of the poultry farm, implementation of effective control measures at slaughterhouses, and fostering awareness campaigns aimed at consumers.

 

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Posted in Campylobacter, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Uncategorized

Research – Study finds olive leaf extract can inhibit the growth of foodborne pathogens

Posted on April 1, 2020 by | Leave a comment

New Food Magazine

The extract, from Euromed, was found to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and could be a potential adjunct to help control foodborne pathogens.

A recently published study has found that olive leaf extract from Euromed, standardised herbal extract and active pharmaceutical ingredients producer, inhibits the growth of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Uncategorized

Canada – Luigi Guffanti 1876 brand Taleggio DOP a Latte Crudo incarto verde (cheese) recalled due to pathogenic E. coli

Posted on March 11, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Canada Gov

Recall details

Ottawa, March 10, 2020 – Taste for Luxury is recalling Guffanti brand Taleggio DOP a Latte crudo incarto verde (cheese) from the marketplace due to possible contamination with pathogenic E. coli. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

The following product has been sold in Ontario. This product may have been sold clerk-served from 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.

Recalled product

Brand Product Size UPC Codes
Luigi Guffanti 1876 Taleggio DOP a Latte crudo incarto verde (cheese) variable variable Lot: 134/20
BB: 13/04/2020

What you should do

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.

Check to see if you have the recalled product in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with pathogenic E. coli may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, some people may have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

Background

This recall was triggered by a recall in another country. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing the recalled product from the marketplace.

Illnesses

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

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Posted in CFIA, E.coli, Food Pathogen, Pathogen, pathogenic, Uncategorized

Research – Complex Interactions Between Weather, and Microbial and Physicochemical Water Quality Impact the Likelihood of Detecting Foodborne Pathogens in Agricultural Water

Posted on February 16, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Frontiers

Agricultural water is an important source of foodborne pathogens on produce farms. Managing water-associated risks does not lend itself to one-size-fits-all approaches due to the heterogeneous nature of freshwater environments. To improve our ability to develop location-specific risk management practices, a study was conducted in two produce-growing regions to (i) characterize the relationship between Escherichia coli levels and pathogen presence in agricultural water, and (ii) identify environmental factors associated with pathogen detection. Three AZ and six NY waterways were sampled longitudinally using 10-L grab samples (GS) and 24-h Moore swabs (MS). Regression showed that the likelihood of Salmonella detection (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.18), and eaeA-stx codetection (OR = 6.49) was significantly greater for MS compared to GS, while the likelihood of detecting L. monocytogenes was not. Regression also showed that eaeA-stx codetection in AZ (OR = 50.2) and NY (OR = 18.4), and Salmonella detection in AZ (OR = 4.4) were significantly associated with E. coli levels, while Salmonella detection in NY was not. Random forest analysis indicated that interactions between environmental factors (e.g., rainfall, temperature, turbidity) (i) were associated with likelihood of pathogen detection and (ii) mediated the relationship between E. coli levels and likelihood of pathogen detection. Our findings suggest that (i) environmental heterogeneity, including interactions between factors, affects microbial water quality, and (ii) E. coli levels alone may not be a suitable indicator of food safety risks. Instead, targeted methods that utilize environmental and microbial data (e.g., models that use turbidity and E. coli levels to predict when there is a high or low risk of surface water being contaminated by pathogens) are needed to assess and mitigate the food safety risks associated with preharvest water use. By identifying environmental factors associated with an increased likelihood of detecting pathogens in agricultural water, this study provides information that (i) can be used to assess when pathogen contamination of agricultural water is likely to occur, and (ii) facilitate development of targeted interventions for individual water sources, providing an alternative to existing one-size-fits-all approaches.

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Posted in E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Salmonella, STX 1, STX 2, Uncategorized

Research – Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium 14028s Genomic Regions Required for Colonization of Lettuce Leaves

Posted on February 4, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Frontiers in Microbiology

Contamination of edible produce leaves with human bacterial pathogens has been associated with serious disease outbreaks and has become a major public health concern affecting all aspects of the market, from farmers to consumers. While pathogen populations residing on the surface of ready-to-eat produce can be potentially removed through thorough washing, there is no disinfection technology available that effectively eliminates internal bacterial populations. By screening 303 multi-gene deletion (MGD) mutants of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (STm) 14028s, we were able to identify ten genomic regions that play a role in opening the stomatal pore of lettuce leaves. The major metabolic functions of the deleted regions are associated with sensing the environment, bacterium movement, transport through the bacterial membrane, and biosynthesis of surface appendages. Interestingly, at 21 days post inoculation, seven of these mutants showed increased population titers inside the leaf, two mutants showed similar titers as the wild type bacterium, whereas one mutant with a large deletion that includes the Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI-2) showed significantly impaired persistence in the leaf apoplast. These findings suggest that not all the genomic regions required for initiation of leaf colonization (i.e., epiphytic behavior and tissue penetration) are essential for continuing bacterial survival as an endophyte. We also observed that mutants lacking either SPI-1 (Mut3) or SPI-2 (Mut9) induce callose deposition levels comparable to those of the wild type STm 14028s; therefore, these islands do not seem to affect this lettuce defense mechanism. However, the growth of Mut9, but not Mut3, was significantly impaired in the leaf apoplastic wash fluid (AWF) suggesting that the STm persistence in the apoplast may be linked to nutrient acquisition capabilities or overall bacterial fitness in this niche, which are dependent on the gene(s) deleted in the Mut9 strain. The genetic basis of STm colonization of leaves investigated in this study provides a foundation from which to develop mitigation tactics to enhance food safety.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research – Stressed-out dust is sharing antibiotic resistance genes

Posted on January 29, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Northwestern

First study to show indoor dust bacteria have transferrable antibiotic resistance genes.

A new Northwestern University study is the first to find that bacteria living in household dust can spread antibiotic resistance genes. Although most bacteria are harmless, the researchers believe these genes could potentially spread to pathogens, making infections more difficult to treat.

“This evidence, in and of itself, doesn’t mean that antibiotic resistance is getting worse,” said Northwestern’s Erica Hartmann, who led the study. “It’s just one more risk factor. It’s one more thing that we need to be careful about.”

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Uncategorized

Research – Inactivating foodborne pathogens in apple juice by combined treatment with fumaric acid and ultraviolet-A light, and mechanisms of their synergistic bactericidal action

Posted on December 19, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

We evaluated the bactericidal efficacy of the simultaneous application of ultraviolet-A (UV-A) irradiation and fumaric acid (FA) against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in apple juice and as well as investigated the effects of this treatment on product quality. Further, we elucidated the mechanisms underlying their synergistic bactericidal action. Simultaneous UV-A light irradiation and 0.1% FA treatment for 30 min resulted in 6.65-, 6.27-, and 6.49-log CFU/ml reductions in E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes, respectively, which involved 3.15, 2.21, and 3.43 log CFU reductions, respectively, and these were attributed to the synergistic action of the combined treatments. Mechanistic investigations suggested that the combined UVA-FA treatment resulted in significantly greater bacterial cell membrane damage and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. UVA-FA treatment for 30 min did not cause significant changes to the color, nonenzymatic browning index, pH, and total phenolic content of apple juice. These results suggest that combined UVA-FA treatment can be effectively used to control foodborne pathogens in apple juice without affecting its quality.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Salmonella, Technology, Uncategorized