Category Archives: Staphylococcus aureus

Research – How filthy is YOUR phone? Stomach-churning study reveals the ‘invisible life’ lurking on the average device – including E.Coli from human POO

Posted on March 26, 2023 | Leave a comment

Daily Mail

Bacteria from both human and cockroach poo are among the secret germs that lurk on our phones, experts have warned.

E.Coli and Fecal Streptococci were found on 100 per cent of smartphone screens in a study of the harmful microbes that plague our devices.

Food poisoning germ, Bacillus cereus, and pneumonia-causing S. aureus, were also found on each of the 20 swabs taken from 10 phones.

While none of them had traces of Salmonella, half of them did contain P. aeruginosa which is commonly found in cockroach poo.

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Posted in Bacillus, Bacillus cereus, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Research, Staphylococcus aureus

Research – Mānuka Oil vs. Rosemary Oil: Antimicrobial Efficacies in Wagyu and Commercial Beef against Selected Pathogenic Microbes

Posted on March 25, 2023 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Essential oils possessing antimicrobial characteristics have acquired considerable interest as an alternative to chemical preservatives in food products. This research hypothesizes that mānuka (MO) and kānuka (KO) oils may possess antimicrobial characteristics and have the potential to be used as natural preservatives for food applications. Initial experimentation was conducted to characterize MOs (with 5, 25, and 40% triketone contents), rosemary oil (RO) along with kanuka oil (KO) for their antibacterial efficacy against selected Gram-negative (Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli), and Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria through disc diffusion and broth dilution assays. All MOs showed a higher antimicrobial effect against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration below 0.04%, compared with KO (0.63%) and RO (2.5%). In chemical composition, α-pinene in KO, 1, 8 cineole in RO, calamenene, and leptospermone in MO were the major compounds, confirmed through Gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Further, the antimicrobial effect of MO and RO in vacuum-packed beef pastes prepared from New Zealand commercial breed (3% fat) and wagyu (12% fat) beef tenderloins during 16 days of refrigerated storage was compared with sodium nitrate (SN) and control (without added oil). In both meat types, compared with the SN-treated and control samples, lower growth of L. monocytogenes and S. aureus in MO- and RO- treated samples was observed. However, for Salmonella and E. coli, RO treatment inhibited microbial growth most effectively. The results suggest the potential use of MO as a partial replacement for synthetic preservatives like sodium nitrate in meats, especially against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus.

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Posted in Antibacterial, Antimicrobials, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus

RASFF Alert – Staphylococcus aureus – Reblochon cheese

Posted on March 24, 2023 | Leave a comment

RASFF

Coagulase-positive staphylococcus in Reblochon cheese from France in Belgium

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, Staphylococcus aureus

France – Reblochon de Savoie PDO – Staphylococcus aureus

Posted on March 20, 2023 | Leave a comment

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Milk and dairy products
  • Product brand name Val d’Arly cooperative
  • Model names or references Val d’Arly cooperative
  • Identification of products
    Batch Date
    331128 Date of minimum durability 01/04/2023
  • Packaging FILM PAPER
  • Marketing start/end date From 01/02/2023 to 06/02/2023
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Health mark FR 73 114 001 CE
  • Geographic area of ​​sale Departments: BOUCHES-DU-RHONE (13), ILLE-ET-VILAINE (35), RHONE (69), HAUTE-SAVOIE (74), ESSONNE (91), VAL-D’OISE (95)
  • Distributors Wholesalers for catering professionals

Practical information regarding the recall

  • Reason for recall Possible presence of Staphylococci (precautionary principle)
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Staphylococcus aureus (causative agent of staphylococcal poisoning)

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Staphylococcal Toxin, Staphylococcus aureus

Research – Microbiological Quality and Safety of Fresh Turkey Meat at Retail Level, Including the Presence of ESBL-Producing Enterobacteriaceae and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus

Posted on March 19, 2023 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the microbiological safety and quality of marketed fresh turkey meat, with special emphasis on methicillin-resistant S. aureus, ESBL-producing E. coli, and K. pneumoniae. A total of 51 fresh turkey meat samples were collected at retail level in Spain. Mesophile, Pseudomonas spp., enterococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and staphylococci counts were 5.10 ± 1.36, 3.17 ± 0.87, 2.03 ± 0.58, 3.18 ± 1.00, and 2.52 ± 0.96 log CFU/g, respectively. Neither Campylobacter spp. nor Clostridium perfringens was detected in any sample. ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae and E. coli were detected in 22 (43.14%), and three (5.88%) samples, respectively, all of which were multi-resistant. Resistance to antimicrobials of category A (monobactams, and glycilcyclines) and category B (cephalosporins of third or fourth generation, polymixins, and quinolones), according to the European Medicine Agency classification, was found among the Enterobacteriaceae isolates. S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus were detected in nine (17.65%) and four samples (7.84%), respectively. Resistance to antimicrobials of category A (mupirocin, linezolid, rifampicin, and vancomycin) and category B (cephalosporins of third- or fourth generation) was found among S. aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and M. caseolyticus isolates.

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Posted in Enterococcus, ESBL, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, MRSA, Pathogen, Staphylococcal Toxin, Staphylococcus aureus

RASFF Alert -Coagulase-Positive Staphylococci – Frozen Vegetable Dumplings

Posted on March 3, 2023 | Leave a comment

RASFF

Coagulase-positive staphylococci in frozen vegetable dumplings from Bulgaria in Germany

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, Staphylococcal Toxin, Staphylococcus aureus

Switzerland – Swiss checks find microbially contaminated fruit salads

Posted on February 28, 2023 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Listeria and coagulase-positive Staphylococci have been found during inspections of fruit salads in Switzerland, according to the Swiss Association of Cantonal Chemists (ACCS).

Cantonal chemists analyzed the microbiological quality of fruit salads by taking 205 samples.

During the control, organized from May to September 2022, the samples of fruit salads were taken throughout Switzerland and Liechtenstein to check the microbial quality and for the presence of bacteria that could pose a health risk.

Food control is done by cantons, which carry out inspections and laboratory analyses with the help of cantonal chemists. Switzerland is made up of 26 regions called cantons.

Fruit salads can represent a health risk, particularly if storage temperatures and times are not adequate and products are intended for vulnerable people in retirement homes, nursing homes, or hospitals.

Targeted sampling looked at types of fruit more likely to be contaminated by bacteria such as low-acid fruits like melon or watermelon and followed criteria set in food legislation.

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Posted in bacterial contamination, cross contamination, food contamination, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Staphylococcal Toxin, Staphylococcus aureus

Research – Evaluation of antibiotic efficacy of Ocimum gratissimum L. essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Posted on February 20, 2023 | Leave a comment

Academic Journals

Abstract

Ocimum gratissimum essential oil (EOGT) has been evaluated for its antibacterial efficacy, and its combinational therapy with antibiotics may enhance the therapeutic efficiency against infection-causing bacteria. Herein, we evaluated the chemical composition of EOGT and its antibiotic efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. GC-MS and GC-FID analyzed EOGT. The antibiotic efficacy was determined by the agar diffusion method, microdilution, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Eugenol (74.2%) was the main component of OGT. Using the agar diffusion method, the action of rifampicin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline was evaluated against S. aureus, while the action of cefepime and ciprofloxacin was evaluated against P. aeruginosa. FICI showed a reduced MIC of ciprofloxacin and tetracycline associated with EOGT. In the presence of EOGT, MIC of ciprofloxacin reduced from 0.6 to 0.0006 μg/mL and of tetracycline decreased from 0.028 to 0.0018 μg/mL against S. aureus and from 4 to 0.12 μg/mL against P. aeruginosa. EOGT enhanced the antibacterial efficacy of the antibiotics suggesting a synergistic effect, thereby enhancing the efficacy in treating infection against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa.

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Posted in Antimicrobials, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus

Research – Antimicrobial Effect of Moringa oleifera Leaves Extract on Foodborne Pathogens in Ground Beef

Posted on February 18, 2023 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Consumers nowadays are becoming more aware of the importance of using only meat products containing safe and natural additives. Hence, using natural food additives for extending the shelf life of meat along with delaying microbial growth has become an urgent issue. Given the increasingly popular view of Moringa oleifera leaves as a traditional remedy and also the scarcity of published data concerning its antimicrobial effect against foodborne pathogens in meat and meat products, we designed the present study to investigate the antimicrobial effect of Moringa oleifera leaves aqueous extract (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) on ground beef during refrigerated storage at 4 °C for 18 days. MLE revealed potent antimicrobial properties against spoilage bacteria, such as aerobic plate count and Enterobacteriaceae count. MLE 2% showed a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in the counts of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus artificially inoculated to ground beef by 6.54, 5.35, and 5.40 log10 CFU/g, respectively, compared to control, by the 18th day of storage. Moringa leaves extract (MLE) had no adverse effect on the overall acceptability and other sensory attributes; moreover, it induced a slight improvement in the tenderness and juiciness of treated ground beef, compared to the control. Therefore, MLE can be used as a healthy, natural, and safe preservative to increase meat products’ safety, quality, and shelf stability during cold storage. A promising approach for using natural food additives rather than chemical preservatives could begin new frontiers in the food industry, as they are more safe and do not constitute health risks to consumers.

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Posted in Antibacterial, Antimicrobials, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus

Research – Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Coagulase Positive Staphylococci in Cured Raw Milk Cheese from Alentejo Region, Portugal

Posted on February 4, 2023 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Coagulase Positive Staphylococci in Cured Raw Milk Cheese from Alentejo Region, Portugal

Abstract

Traditional cheeses are part of the Portuguese gastronomic identity, and raw milk of autochthonous species is a common primary ingredient. Here, we investigated the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Coagulase Positive Staphylococci (CPS) and pathogenic Escherichia coli, as well as of indicator microorganisms (E. coli and other Listeria spp.) in 96 cured raw milk cheeses from the Alentejo region. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of pathogenic E. coli and Listeria spp. as well as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) screening of E. coli isolates was also performed. L. monocytogenes, CPS > 104 cfu/g and Extra intestinal E. coli were detected in 15.6%, 16.9% and 10.1% of the samples, respectively. Moreover, L. monocytogenes > 102 cfu/g and Staphylococcal enterotoxins were detected in 4.2% and 2.2% of the samples, respectively. AMR was observed in 27.3% of the E. coli isolates, six of which were multidrug resistant. WGS analysis unveiled clusters of high closely related isolates for both L. monocytogenes and L. innocua (often correlating with the cheese producer). This study can indicate poor hygiene practices during milk collection/preservation or during cheese-making procedures and handling, and highlights the need of more effective prevention and control measures and of multi-sectoral WGS data integration, in order to prevent and detect foodborne bacterial outbreaks.

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Posted in E.coli, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Staphylococcus aureus