Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli in raw goat milk cheese from France in Germany
Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in morbier from France in Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, United States.
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 Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, RASFF, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese, Raw Milk Goats Cheese, STEC, STEC E.coli
For the last two decades, the human infection frequency of Escherichia coli O157 (O157) in Scotland has been 2.5-fold higher than in England and Wales. Results from national cattle surveys conducted in Scotland and England and Wales in 2014/2015 were combined with data on reported human clinical cases from the same time frame to determine if strain differences in national populations of O157 in cattle could be associated with higher human infection rates in Scotland. Shiga toxin subtype (Stx) and phage type (PT) were examined within and between host (cattle vs human) and nation (Scotland vs England and Wales). For a subset of the strains, whole genome sequencing (WGS) provided further insights into geographical and host association. All three major O157 lineages (I, II, I/II) and most sub-lineages (Ia, Ib, Ic, IIa, IIb, IIc) were represented in cattle and humans in both nations. While the relative contribution of different reservoir hosts to human infection is unknown, WGS analysis indicated that the majority of O157 diversity in human cases was captured by isolates from cattle. Despite comparable cattle O157 prevalence between nations, strain types were localized. PT21/28 (sub-lineage Ic, Stx2a+) was significantly more prevalent in Scottish cattle [odds ratio (OR) 8.7 (2.3–33.7; P<0.001] and humans [OR 2.2 (1.5–3.2); P<0.001]. In England and Wales, cattle had a significantly higher association with sub-lineage IIa strains [PT54, Stx2c; OR 5.6 (1.27–33.3); P=0.011] while humans were significantly more closely associated with sub-lineage IIb [PT8, Stx1 and Stx2c; OR 29 (4.9–1161); P<0.001]. Therefore, cattle farms in Scotland were more likely to harbour Stx2a+O157 strains compared to farms in E and W (P<0.001). There was evidence of limited cattle strain migration between nations and clinical isolates from one nation were more similar to cattle isolates from the same nation, with sub-lineage Ic (mainly PT21/28) exhibiting clear national association and evidence of local transmission in Scotland. While we propose the higher rate of O157 clinical cases in Scotland, compared to England and Wales, is a consequence of the nationally higher level of Stx2a+O157 strains in Scottish cattle, we discuss the multiple additional factors that may also contribute to the different infection rates between these nations.
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Jumbo warns against Jumbo FP Morbier (cheese). The product may contain STEC bacteria. Eating Jumbo FP Morbier (cheese) can pose a health risk, especially in pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with a weakened immune system. Do not eat the product.
See the Jumbo website
Which product is it?
Product: Jumbo FP Morbier (cheese)
Barcode: 233355700XXXX
Best before (THT): 18-10-2023
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 Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, NVWA, STEC, STEC E.coli
STEC in Eyerounds from Brazil in Germany and the Netherlands
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At the end of July, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority was notified by the Institute of Public Health about a national outbreak of the gastrointestinal bacterium EHEC. Infection was then detected in a small number of people, living in different parts of the country. An outbreak investigation was initiated in collaboration between the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the Veterinary Institute and municipal chief medical officers.
In the outbreak investigation, the same bacteria that has made people sick has been found in hamburgers. Raw material that was used to make the hamburgers has also been used to make a number of other meat products that have been withdrawn from the market.
– The Norwegian Food Safety Authority always recommends that hamburgers should be thoroughly cooked in order for them to be safe. Also wash hands and equipment after touching both frozen and fresh hamburgers. The bacteria withstand freezing well, says Catherine Signe Svindland, senior adviser in the biological food safety section of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
Also read: Is it risky to eat medium fried hamburgers?
Infection has so far been detected in 20 people. More than half of those infected are children under the age of 13. Seven of the children have developed the serious complication hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Read more about this at the Institute of Public Health: Serious E.coli outbreak is not over
The outbreak investigation is still ongoing. There may be further withdrawals.
Products that have been withdrawn from the market:
General advice on good kitchen hygiene
European network aims to further reduce health risks
Game meat, including those of red deer, wild boar, or pheasant, is among the foods with the smallest ecological footprint. These animals grow up in the wild, feeding on what na-ture provides, which also means that they can be exposed to various environmental con-taminants. Furthermore, wild animals can serve as carriers of zoonotic pathogens. The Eu-ropean network ‘Safety in the Game Meat Chain’ that will be established over the next four years under the leadership of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR),and promotes the exchange of knowledge regarding the health risks associated with game meat obtained through hunting for consumers. ‘Our goal is to make this valuable animal-derived food as safe as possible both in Europe and worldwide,’ says BfR President Professor Dr.Dr. Andreas Hensel. ‘We aim to minimize both chemical and microbial risks as much as possi-ble.’ The growing network currently includes 29 countries, encompassing not only EU member states but also non-EU countries, including those in the Western Balkans, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.
Over a four-year period, the five working groups of the network will focus on hunting and processing, game meat trade networks and the supply chain, as well as various biological and chemical hazards. To accomplish this, research activities from national level will be compiled and evaluated. Stakeholder groups from academia, industry, governmental institutions, and final consumers will receive ongoing updates on the new findings.
A central aim of the network is direct collaboration with stakeholder groups to translate knowledge into actions along the entire production chain, “from forest to fork” . The focus lies not only on undesirable substances from the environment (environmental con-taminants), but also on preventing or reducing the input of heavy metals, especially lead, from hunting ammunition. The biological hazards range from parasites such as Trichinella larvae, which can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of game meat, all the way to bacterial zoonotic agents including Salmonella and verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), as well as viruses like hepatitis E (HEV) in wild boars.
Risks of both chemical and microbial origin that may arise during processing and trade of game meat, potentially contaminating the end product, will also be assessed. The goal is to disseminate scientific knowledge gained through the network from various regions and to align long-term food safety standards across borders.
The network also aims to gather insights into different hunting and training practices as well as national legal regulations and standards on meat inspection and hygiene for game meat in each country. The safety standards for cross-border trade in wild products are intended to be enhanced and harmonized. Additionally, the network places emphasis on educating con-sumers about the risks associated with and safe handling of game meat. Ultimately, this can support the consumer’s confidence in game meat products.
‘Safety in the Game Meat Chain’ is founded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST).
Useful links
SafeGameMeat COST Action (CA22166):
https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22166/
Further information from the BfR website on game meat (in German)
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Hepatitis E, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella, STEC, STEC E.coli, VTEC, Zoonosis
Brand : LATTERIA SOC DI CIVIDALE E VALLI DEL NATISONE SCA
Name : FORMAGGIO SAPORITO DELLE VALLI
Reason for reporting : Recall due to microbiological risk
Publication date : 9 October 2023
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 Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli
Another child at a Calgary daycare has tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, a month after an outbreak that infected hundreds at numerous child-care facilities started.
Suspicion of shiga-toxin producing E. coli in beef from Argentina in Germany
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 Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, STEC, STEC E.coli
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