Category Archives: Toxin

Hong Kong – 19 Diners Sick with Cigutera Poisoning

Posted on June 14, 2013 by | Leave a comment

South China Morning Post

Health authorities are launching an investigation into food poisoning case in which 19 people fell ill after eating coral reef fish at a Lamma Island eatery on Saturday.

Fourteen men and five women, aged 23 to 71, had eaten fish at the seafood restaurant, and had fallen ill with symptoms of the potentially lethal ciguatera poisoning three to 19 hours later, the Centre for Health Protection said.

The restaurant in question was the Wai Kee Sea Food Restaurant in Sok Kwu Wan.

Symptoms can include numbness of the mouth and limbs, heart palpitations fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea and flushes. Excessive consumption can also affect the circulatory and nervous systems.

Six of the diners had sought medical help and at least one person was admitted to hospital. All are in now in stable condition, the CHP said.

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Posted in Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Poisoning, Toxin

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RASFF Alerts Alfatoxin – Ochratoxin – Sultanas – Groundnuts – Pistachio – Nutmeg

Posted on June 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Ochratoxin A (17.5 µg/kg – ppb) in sultanas from Turkey in Malta

RASFF – Aflatoxins (Tot. = 9.3 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Brazil in Italy

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 19.15; Tot. = 35.61 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted and salted pistachio nuts from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 8.1 µg/kg – ppb) in nutmeg powder from Indonesia in France

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Toxin

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RASFF Alerts – Histamine – Canned Tuna – Listeria monocytogenes – Raw Milk Cheese – Staph Toxin in Tuna

Posted on June 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Histamine (1524 mg/kg – ppm) in cannned tuna in olive oil from Spain in Italy

RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (100 CFU/g) in chilled raw milk cheese from France

RASFF – Staphylococcal enterotoxin (presence /25g) in chilled tuna from Suriname, via the Netherlands in Sweden

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Posted in Allergens, Allergic Reaction, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Hygiene, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Staphylococcus aureus, Toxin

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RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Peanuts – Groundnuts – Nutmegs

Posted on June 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 12.7; Tot. = 16.4 µg/kg – ppb) in spicy coated peanuts from India in the UK

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 4.8 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from China in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 32.4; Tot. = 40.1 µg/kg – ppb) in whole nutmegs from Indonesia in the UK

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Toxin

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USA – E.coli Outbreak Investigations Include Ice Tea

Posted on June 3, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Online AthensEcoli Istock

Public health officials are investigating iced tea among other menu items at a Stephens County barbecue restaurant as the possible source of a major E. coli outbreak that has sickened as many as 18 people.

Eleven people have been confirmed to have E. coli infection, and seven others are probable cases, though their illness has not been confirmed by lab results, state officials say.

There have been no other infections reported since May 8.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Toxin

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USA- Hepatitis A in the News Again Worldwide

Posted on June 1, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsVirusds

Patrons of the 800 Degrees Three Fires restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana may be at risk for hepatitis A infection, warned health officials Friday.

A worker at the restaurant tested positive for the virus, prompting the Allen County Health  Department to issue a public health advisory.

The Department is urging customers who ate or drank at the 800 Degrees Three Fires restaurant on Illinois Road between May 18 and May 26, 2013 to get the hepatitis A vaccine if they have not already had it.

Food Safety News

new outbreak of a hepatitis A strain rarely seen in the Western Hemisphere is believed to be associated with frozen mixed berries purchased from Costco is being investigated by multiple agencies, including the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  At least 30 illnesses are involved, including  sicknesses in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries purchased from Costco appear to be the source of this outbreak.

The outbreak strain has  been identified by CDC as hepatitis A virus (HAV) genotype 1B, a strain that circulates in North Africa and the Middle East.  It was associated with last year’s outbreak in Europe involving frozen berries and another in British Columbia involving frozen berry blend with pomegranate seeds from Egypt.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, outbreak, Pathogen, Poisoning, Recall, Toxin, Virus

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RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Ochratoxin – Groundnuts – Pistachios – Rye Flour –

Posted on May 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 10; Tot. = 12 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from China in the Netherlands

RASFF -Aflatoxins (Tot. = 9.3 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from China in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 16.3; Tot. = 35.2 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – Ochratoxin A (5.10 µg/kg – ppb) in rye flour from Poland

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 54; Tot. = 62 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched groundnut kernels from China in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 10; Tot. = 10 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 4.0; Tot. = 6.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Brazil in the UK

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Toxin

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Pakistan – Polluted Water – Culltivated Vegetables – Hepatitis A

Posted on May 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Business Recorder

Cultivations of vegetables from polluted water in the outskirts of the city is posing serious public health hazard and authorities concerned are doing almost nothing to stop this practice. Experts believe that contaminated water, industrial waste and unhygienic food are causing a surge in the incidence of Hepatitis-A disease.

They said that different government and private hospitals reported that patients of Hepatitis-A were increasing. Experts feared that the situation was worsening in cities such as Karachi, Multan, Swat, and areas near Islamabad where the polluted water contaminated drinking water because of poor sanitation system.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had conducted tests in few areas and found them prone to Hepatitis-A. However, scores of areas are also affected with the same problem and continue to cause health hazards to people with infectious disease. Medical experts say that it is the responsibility of the government to providing clean drinking water to the citizens on a regular basis. Doctors advised patients to get vaccinated against Hepatitis-A as preventive measures.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Toxin, Water

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RASFF Alerts – Hepatitis A Oysters and Berries- ASP in Scallops- Enterococci in Dessciated Coconut

Posted on May 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) toxins in chilled scallops from France

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in chilled oysters from France and the Netherlands

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in frozen berry mix from Italy, with raw material from Bulgaria in Italy

RASFF – Faecal streptococci (17000 CFU/g) in desiccated coconut from Indonesia, via Malaysia in Italy

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Posted in Algal Toxin, ASP, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Faecal Streptpcocci, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Spoilage, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Microbiology, Pathogen, Poisoning, Shellfish, Toxin, Virus

USA – FDA Recall Aflatoxin – Deer Corn

Posted on May 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDAAspergillus

Rural King Distributing of Mattoon, IL is recalling 205 tons of Deer Corn, because it has the potential to be contaminated with aflatoxin.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring mold by-product. Animals that have consumed any of the above recalled products may exhibit symptoms of illness including sluggishness, unthriftiness, or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, yellowish tint to the eyes, or diarrhea. Consumption of feed containing high amounts of aflatoxin can be fatal to some animals. Deer Corn was distributed to 63 retail stores in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan.

Deer Corn is packaged in a green, black, and brown camouflage bags weighing 50 lbs. The product UPC Code is 689139348193.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The issue was called to attention stemming from testing by the Office of the Indiana State Chemist.

Consumers are urged to return Deer Corn to the store where they have purchased for full reimbursement. Consumers with questions may call the company at 1-800-561-1752 between the hours of 8am and 5 pm CST.

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, Recall, Toxin

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