Fungal toxins known as mycotoxins, including some thought lost to history, are claiming new territory as the Earth warms.
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Category Archives: Toxin
RASFF Alerts – Bacillus cereus – Puddings – Cocoa Powder
enterotoxin producing Bacillus cereus (up to 7100 CFU/g) in cocoa powder for children from unknown origin, via Germany in Finland
Bacillus cereus in different varietes of pudding from Germany in Germany
Research – Microbiological control of pasteurized and unpasteurized dairy products, 2018 – Norway
The microbiological quality was generally good for the 189 dairy products on the Norwegian market that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority examined in 2018. Nevertheless, we see that there are microbiological challenges in connection with unpasteurized dairy products.
| What did we investigate? | 189 samples of unpasteurized and pasteurized cheeses and other dairy products produced in Norway and in the EU. |
| Period: | 2018 |
| What were we looking for? | The four categories have been analyzed for various disease-causing bacteria (pathogens). These choices are made in order to get the most information for each category.
The different categories are: PN = pasteurized milk product produced in Norway. P EU = pasteurized milk product produced outside Norway. UN = unpasteurized milk product produced in Norway. U EU = unpasteurized milk product produced outside Norway. Listeria monocytogenes (pathogen): PN, P EU, UN, U EU, number 189 pcs. Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (pathogen): UN, U EU, number 96 pcs. E. coli (hygiene parameter): PN, UN, U EU, 169 st. S. aureus (hygiene parameter): UN, number 71 st. Toxins (enterotoxin) from S. aureus (pathogen): UN, U EU, number 96 pcs. Salmonella (pathogen): U EU, number 25 st. |
| What did we find? | Listeria monocytogenes : No detection in 189 samples of dairy product.
Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC): Escherichia coli (hygiene parameter): In 61 of the 71 unpasteurized milk products produced in Norway, E. coli was not detected above the detection limit of 10 colony-forming units / g sample (kde / g). 3 st. (4.2%) was above 100 kde / g. In unpasteurized dairy products from the EU (25), 5 (20%) of the products had more than 100 kde / g E. coli. There is no microbiological criterion for E. coli in the regulations for unpasteurized cheeses. Staphylococcus aureus: Of the 96 unpasteurized dairy products examined, the enterotoxins AE Toxins (enterotoxins), which some S. aureus can produce , were not detected . Salmonella was not detected in the 25 samples of unpasteurized milk products produced outside Norway. |
New Zealand – Shellfish biotoxin alert lifted for South Head
The Ministry for Primary Industries today removed the public health warning against collecting shellfish from the North Island West Coast.
This warning was from South Head (Manukau Harbour) to Tirua Point (South of Kawhia) – North Island. Further sampling of shellfish along this coastline has shown that Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins are now at safe levels.
Other warnings remain in place for West Coast – Waipapakauri to Kaipara – North Island
RASFF Alert – Ochratoxin A – Sweet Paprika
Denmark – Risk of vero-toxin-producing E. coli in French white mold cheese
Lidl Danmark K / S recalls Milbona French white mold cheese due to risk of vero-toxin-forming E. coli in the product
Recalled Foods , Published: October 29, 2020
What food:
Milbona French white mold cheese
Shelf life: 31.10.2020
Net content: approx. 100 g
Sold in:
Lidl Denmark’s stores across the country.
Producer:
Jermi Käsewerk GmbH, Ritter-Heinrich-Straße 2, 88471 Laupheim, Germany
Company recalling:
Lidl Danmark K / S
Cause:
Vero-toxin-producing E. coli has been detected in the product
Risk:
Infection with E.coli can cause acute stomach infection with diarrhea, severe abdominal pain and vomiting
Advice for consumers:
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration advises consumers to deliver the product back to the store where it was purchased or to discard it.
Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Biotoxin, 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, Toxin
RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Dried Figs – Groundnut Kernels – Smoked Pistachios
aflatoxins (Tot. = 18.5 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Italy
aflatoxins (B1 = 14.31 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Germany
aflatoxins (B1 = 6.6 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from China in the Netherlands
aflatoxins (Tot. = 32.8 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Germany
aflatoxins (B1 = 50; Tot. = 54 µg/kg – ppb) in smoked pistachios from Jordan in the Netherlands
aflatoxins (B1 = 11.5; Tot. = 20.5 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Poland
aflatoxins (B1 = 17; Tot. = 20 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from India in the Netherlands
RASFF Alert – Histamine – Canned Mackerel
Oman – Dhofar Governorate records multiple food poisoning cases
Dhofar Governorate recorded several food poisoning incidences due to eating some seashells that were affected by the red tide phenomenon
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said, “A number of health institutions in Dhofar Governorate have registered several food poisoning incidences as a result of consuming seashells that contained poisonous substances as the beaches were affected due to the red tide phenomenon.”
“In such cases, the infected person may suffer from various symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, symptoms related to the nervous system like numbness, weakened movement and shortness of breath,” the ministry added.
Therefore, MOH urges fishermen and consumers to avoid eating fishes and seashells coming from the areas affected by the red tide. It has also called upon all to stay away from the areas that suspected to be affected by the red tide phenomenon to avoid poisoning.
Posted in Algal Toxin, Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, paralytic shellfish poisoning, Poisoning, PSP, shellfish toxin, Toxin
Russia – Clostridium Botulinum Poisoning
This Friday (23), the international press reported the story of two children from St. Petersburg, Russia, who spent three days at home with their dead parents. For the couple’s children, the two were just “sleeping” for a long time.
The relatives of Alexander Yakunin, 30 and his wife, Viktoria, 25, were surprised by the couple’s absence from a family reunion. That was when relatives called their home and their five-year-old daughter answered the phone.
In the call, the girl said that she was taking care of her one-year-old brother, said that her mother and father had been “sleeping” for a long time, and that the father had gone all dark.
Worried, the children’s aunt went to the apartment and found the couple dead in bed. “I ran… and saw everything. I fell and screamed, ”recalled the woman, according to the British website Mirror. Then the emergency and the police were called.
The aunt took the children of the couple from the apartment who are now in the care of their grandfather, Alexander’s father. The suspected cause of death is food poisoning after consumption of a pickle preserve contaminated with botulinum toxin, a substance produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. According to the police, a jar of pickles given by Alexander’s grandfather was open in the kitchen.
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