Category Archives: STEC E.coli

Canada -Scarpone’s Italian Store brand frozen Ground Veal recalled due to E. coli O157:H7

Posted on January 14, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Recall details

Ottawa, January 13, 2020 – The Italian Store is recalling Scarpone’s Italian Store brand frozen Ground Veal from the marketplace due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Recalled products

Brand Product Size UPC Codes Additional Information
Scarpone’s Italian Store Ground Veal (frozen) Variable Starting with:
0 200904		 All units sold between December 23, 2019 and January 13, 2020, inclusive. Sold at The Italian Store, 5140 Skyline Way NE, Calgary, AB.

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 E. coli O157:H7 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 Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) test results. The 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.

Product photos

Printer ready version of photos

  • Scarpone's Italian Store - Ground Veal (frozen)
  • Universal Product Code - Scarpone's Italian Store - Ground Veal (frozen)

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Posted in CFIA, E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

USA – Seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants Associated with E. coli Outbreak

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

There are now seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants associated with an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened 15 people, an increase of two more patients since the last update posted in December 2019. The outbreak appears to be over, according to the Seattle King County Health Department, but the investigation is ongoing. Three people were hospitalized because they were so sick.

The seven Seattle Evergreen restaurants named by the health department include Evergreen locations at:

  • Pioneer Square (106 1st Avenue S, Seattle)
  • University District (4609 Village Ter NE, Seattle)
  • Downtown (823 3rd Avenue, Seattle)
  • Chinatown-International District (504 5th Ave South, Seattle)
  • Sammamish Highlands (600 228th Avenue NE, Sammamish)
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (17801 International Blvd, Seattle)
  • 2nd and Pike Street (1430 2nd Ave, Seattle)

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

Information USA – What Are the Symptoms of Common Foodborne Pathogens?

Posted on January 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Burden of Foodborne Illness: Findings

CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.

 

These estimates provide the most accurate estimates yet of which known foodborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) are causing the most illnesses in the United States, and how many foodborne illnesses are caused by unspecified agents. The estimates also show that much work remains to be done—specifically in focusing efforts on the top known pathogens and identifying the additional causes of foodborne illness and death.

CDC provides estimates for two major groups of foodborne illnesses

Known foodborne pathogens — 31 pathogens known to cause foodborne illness. Many of these pathogens are tracked by public health systems that track diseases and outbreaks. Read the report >

Unspecified agents — Agents with insufficient data to estimate agent-specific burden; known agents not yet identified as causing foodborne illness; microbes, chemicals, or other substances known to be in food whose ability to cause illness is unproven; and agents not yet identified. Because you can’t “track” what isn’t yet identified, estimates for this group of agents started with the health effects or symptoms that they are most likely to cause, such as acute gastroenteritis. Read the report >

Total number of foodborne illnesses each year

CDC estimated the number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by both known and unspecified agents. CDC then estimated what proportion of each were foodborne. The first table below provides estimates for domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, and the second table provides estimates for domestically acquired illnesses caused by all transmission routes (foodborne, waterborne, person-to-person contact, animal contact, environmental contamination, and others).

Estimated annual number of domestically acquired, foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents transmitted through food, United States
Foodborne agents Estimated annual number of illnesses Estimated annual number of hospitalizations Estimated annual number of deaths
Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) %
31 known pathogens 9.4 million
(6.6–12.7 million)		 20 55,961
(39,534–75,741)		 44 1,351
(712–2,268)		 44
Unspecified agents 38.4 million
(19.8–61.2 million)		 80 71,878
(9,924–157,340)		 56 1,686
(369–3,338)		 56
Total 47.8 million
(28.7–71.1 million)		 100 127,839
(62,529–215,562)		 100 3,037
(1,492–4,983)		 100
Estimated annual number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents, United States
Foodborne agents Estimated annual number of illnesses Estimated annual number of hospitalizations Estimated annual number of deaths
Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) %
31 known pathogens 37.2 million
(28.4–47.6 million)		 21 228,744
(188,326–275,601)		 47 2,612
(1,723–3,819)		 42
Unspecified agents 141.8 million 79 258,033 53 3,574 58
Total 179 million 100 486,777 100 6,186 100

 

Pathogens causing the most foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths each year

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses
Pathogen Estimated number of illnesses 90% credible interval %
Norovirus 5,461,731 3,227,078–8,309,480 58
Salmonella, nontyphoidal 1,027,561 644,786–1,679,667 11
Clostridium perfringens 965,958 192,316–2,483,309 10
Campylobacter spp. 845,024 337,031–1,611,083 9
Staphylococcus aureus 241,148 72,341–529,417 3
Subtotal 91

 Top of Page

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in hospitalization
Pathogen Estimated number of hospitalizations 90% credible interval %
Salmonella, nontyphoidal 19,336 8,545–37,490 35
Norovirus 14,663 8,097–23,323 26
Campylobacter spp. 8,463 4,300–15,227 15
Toxoplasma gondii 4,428 2,634–6,674 8
E. coli (STEC) O157 2,138 549–4,614 4
Subtotal 88
Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in death
Pathogen Estimated number of deaths 90% credible interval %
Salmonella, nontyphoidal 378 0–1,011 28
Toxoplasma gondii 327 200–482 24
Listeria monocytogenes 255 0–733 19
Norovirus 149 84–237 11
Campylobacter spp. 76 0–332 6
Subtotal 88
References

Scallan E, Hoekstra RM, Angulo FJ, Tauxe RV, Widdowson M, Roy SL, et al. Foodborne illness acquired in the United States—major pathogens. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17(1):7-15. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1701.p11101External

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Posted in Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Toxin, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, Research, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, STEC, STEC E.coli, Toxoplasma gondii, Toxoplasmosis, Uncategorized

RASFF Alert- STEC E.coli – Chilled Beef Steak Tartare

Posted on January 10, 2020 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+ /25g) in chilled beef steak tartare from Poland in Poland

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, STEC, STEC E.coli, STX 1, STX 2, Uncategorized

Research – Edible films containing carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde inactivate Escherichia coli O157:H7 on organic leafy greens in sealed plastic bags

Posted on January 7, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online Eurofins Food Testing UK

The antimicrobial effects of apple‐, carrot‐, and hibiscus‐based edible films containing carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde against Escherichia coli O157:H7 on organic leafy greens in sealed plastic bags were investigated. Fresh‐cut Romaine and Iceberg lettuce, and mature and baby spinach leaves were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and placed into Ziploc® bags. Edible films were then added to the bags, which were stored at 4°C. The evaluation of samples taken at days 0, 3, and 7 showed that on all leafy greens, 3% carvacrol‐containing films had the greatest effect against E. coli O157:H7, reducing the bacterial population by about 5 log CFU/g on day 0. All three types of 3% carvacrol‐containing films reduced E. coli O157:H7 by about 5 log CFU/g at day 0. The 1.5% carvacrol‐containing films reduced E. coli O157:H7 by 1–4 logs CFU/g at day 7. Films with 3% cinnamaldehyde showed reduction of 0.6–3 logs CFU/g on different leafy greens.

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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 Microbiology Testing, Food Technology, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, STEC E.coli, Technology, Uncategorized

Research – Evaluation of Bactericidal Effects of Phenyllactic Acid on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium on Beef Meat

Posted on January 5, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Journal of Food Protection 

ABSTRACT

Bactericidal effects of various concentrations of phenyllactic acid on Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including E. coli O157:H7, O26:H11, O103:H2, and O121:H19, and on Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 in pure culture and microplates assays were studied. Beef cuts were surface sprayed with phenyllactic acid or lactic acid for inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium. The 1.5% phenyllactic acid inactivated all inoculated E. coli O157:H7, O26:H11, O103:H2, and O121:H19 and Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 (>6-log reduction) within 1 min of contact at 21°C, whereas 1.5% lactic acid did not result in microbial reduction. Microplate assays (for STEC and Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 at 10 to 100 CFU per well) indicated that concentrations of 0.25% phenyllactic acid or 0.25% lactic acid inhibited the growth of STEC and Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 incubated at 37°C for 24 h. Treatment of beef with 1.5% lactic acid or 1.5% phenyllactic acid reduced E. coli O157:H7 by 0.22 and 0.38 log CFU/cm2, respectively, within 5 min and reduced Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 by 0.12 and 0.86 log CFU/cm2, respectively. When meat treated with 1.5% phenyllactic acid was frozen at −20°C, inactivation of E. coli O157 and Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 was enhanced by 1.06 and 1.46 log CFU/cm2, respectively. Thus, treatment of beef with 1.5% phenyllactic acid significantly reduced the population of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Phenyllactic acid at 1.5% killed STEC and Salmonella (>6-log reduction) within 1 min.

  • The MIC of lactic and phenyllactic acids was 0.25%.

  • The bactericidal effect of phenyllactic acid on beef was enhanced by freezing.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O103, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, E.coli O26, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Salmonella, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

RASFF Alert – STEC E.coli – Raw Milk Cheese

Posted on January 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+ eae /25g) in raw milk cheese from France, packaged in Germany in Germany

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Posted in E.coli, eae, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, STEC E.coli, STX 1, STX 2, Uncategorized

USA – Sprouts Unlimited Inc. is Recalling Clover Sprouts in 4-ounce Packages Due to a Possible Health Risk – STEC E.coli O103

Posted on December 30, 2019 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Sprouts Unlimited of Marion IA is recalling clover spouts in 4 oz packages because it may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O103 bacteria (E. coli O103). E. coli O103 causes a diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

The affected batches of clover sprouts were distributed to Hy Vee Food stores, Fareway Food Stores and Jimmy John’s restaurants in Iowa.

The sprouts available at retail were packaged in in pint containers from Sprouts Unlimited Inc. with a blue label on the lid. The UPC code 7 32684 00013 6 is stamped on the bottom right side of the label.

Sprouts Unlimited Inc. became aware of the potential contamination after receiving information from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Des Moines, IA that a cluster of E. coli O103 illnesses epidemiologically linked to clover sprouts from Sprouts Unlimited Inc. An investigation and further tests are being conducted to determine the source.

If consumers have affected product in their home, they should discontinue use of the product immediately and return any product to the retail store for a full refund. If you have any questions, please call Bill Beach at Sprouts Unlimited Inc. at 319-360-4586.

 

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O103, FDA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

USA – Investigation of E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Linked to Romaine from Salinas, California, November 2019

Posted on December 20, 2019 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Update

December 19, 2019

FDA continues to actively investigate the cause of this outbreak. An investigation team consisting of staff from FDA, CDC, the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Food and Agriculture are attempting to identify any factors that could have led to contamination at a common farm identified by traceback. This investigation involves assessing and sampling soil, animal droppings, compost, water, and other potential environmental sources at the ranches of this grower. The samples and information collected during the farm investigations will be analyzed.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recently reported that they identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 in an unopened bag of Fresh Express brand Leafy Green Romaine collected from an ill person’s home. The source of the romaine identified in the bag was Salinas, California. It was determined that one of the growers of this product also supplied romaine linked to other E. coli outbreaks that FDA is investigating.

These outbreaks are each caused by strains that are different from each other and different from the larger outbreak. One of the additional outbreaks, in Washington state, is potentially linked to romaine lettuce. The other outbreak, with cases in the U.S. and Canada, is linked to Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kits.

Case Counts

Total Illnesses: 138
Hospitalizations: 72
Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: December 1, 2019
States with Cases:  AZ (3), CA (4), CO (6), FL (2), IA (1), ID (3), IL (10), MD (5), MI (1), MN (5), MT (1), NE (2), NJ (9), NC (2), NM (2), OH (12), OR (1), PA (17), SC (1), SD (1), TN (1), TX (6), VA (6), WA (4), WI (33)

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, FDA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

USA – Ohio Romaine Outbreak Sickens 12 with E. coli O157:H7 Infections

Posted on December 18, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Ohio romaine outbreak has sickened 12 people with E. coli O157:H7 infections, making it the state with the second most illnesses after Wisconsin, with 33 cases as of December 9, 2019. Overall, at least 102 people are sick across the country, with 58 hospitalized and 10 who have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.

Most romaine products, including baby romaine, chopped romaine, organic romaine, hearts of romaine, romaine in salad wraps, salad bowl kits, sandwiches, packages of precut lettuce, and salad mixes that contain romaine, may be marked with the growing region. This is a voluntary policy put into place after last year’s two romaine E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreaks. If the label says “Salinas” anywhere, or if the package is unmarked, don’t eat the romaine.

The CDC and FDA have stated that there is one grower associated with all three E. coli O157:H7 romaine outbreaks that are ongoing, but that grower has not been named. Officials have inspected three farms in the Salinas region, but has not named those.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized