Category Archives: Uncategorized

PubMedGov

Reduction of Salmonella on chicken breast fillets stored under aerobic or modified atmosphere packaging by the application of lytic bacteriophage preparation SalmoFreshTM.

American Society for Microbiology

Influence of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium ssrB on Colonization of Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) as Revealed by a Promoter Probe Screen

American Society for Microbiology

Microbial pathogen infiltration in fresh leafy greens is a significant food safety risk factor. In various postharvest operations, vacuum cooling is a critical process for maintaining the quality of fresh produce. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate the risk of vacuum cooling-induced infiltration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 into lettuce using multiphoton microscopy. Multiphoton imaging was chosen as the method to locate E. coli O157:H7 within an intact lettuce leaf due to its high spatial resolution, low background fluorescence, and near-infrared (NIR) excitation source compared to those of conventional confocal microscopy. The variables vacuum cooling, surface moisture, and leaf side were evaluated in a three-way factorial study with E. coli O157:H7 on lettuce. A total of 188 image stacks were collected. The images were analyzed for E. coli O157:H7 association with stomata and E. coli O157:H7 infiltration. The quantitative imaging data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicate that the low-moisture condition led to an increased risk of microbial association with stomata (P < 0.05). Additionally, the interaction between vacuum cooling levels and moisture levels led to an increased risk of infiltration (P < 0.05). This study also demonstrates the potential of multiphoton imaging for improving sensitivity and resolution of imaging-based measurements of microbial interactions with intact leaf structures, including infiltration.

PubMedGov 

A study was done to determine the rate of inactivation of Salmonella in cookie and cracker snack sandwiches. Two cookie bases (chocolate and vanilla) and cheese crackers, along with high-sugar chocolate and peanut butter-based crème cookie fillings and peanut butter- and cheese-based cracker fillings, were obtained from commercial sources. Fillings and sandwiches containing fillings that had been dry- or wet-inoculated with Salmonella were stored at 25°C for 1, 6, 21, 35, 70, 112, and 182 days (6 months). At initial populations of 3.4 and 3.6 log CFU/g of cookie sandwiches containing chocolate crème and peanut butter crème fillings, respectively, Salmonella survived for at least 182 days; initially at 0.36 log CFU/g, the pathogen survived for at least 35 and 70 days. Initially at 2.9 and 3.4 log CFU/g of cracker sandwiches containing peanut butter- and cheese-based fillings, respectively, Salmonella survived for at least 182 and 112 days; initially at 0.53 log CFU/g, the pathogen survived for at least 6 and 35 days. Inactivation of Salmonella was more rapid in wet-inoculated peanut butter crème cookie filling than in dry-inoculated filling but was less affected by type of inoculum in peanut butter-based cracker filling. Chocolate cookie base (water activity [aw] 0.39) and chocolate crème filling (aw 0.30) components of sandwiches equilibrated to aw 0.38 within 15 days at 25°C; vanilla cookie base (aw 0.21) and peanut butter-based crème filling (aw 0.27) equilibrated to aw 0.24 between 50 and 80 days. Cheese cracker (aw 0.14) and peanut butter-based filling (aw 0.31) or cheese-based filling (aw 0.33) components of sandwiches equilibrated to aw 0.33 in 80 days. The ability of Salmonella to survive for at least 182 days in fillings of cookie and cracker sandwiches demonstrates a need to assure that filling ingredients do not contain the pathogen and that contamination does not occur during manufacture.

The Daily Mail Online

Mother donates a kidney to save her three-year-old son’s life after he contracts a deadly E.coli infection and needs a transplant

• Reuben Jackson fell ill and was found to have deadly E.coli infection 
• His kidneys failed and doctors said he would need a transplant to survive
• Mother Nicola, 39, was a match and ‘didn’t hesitate‘ to donate an organ
• Reuben was ‘instantly better’ after the operation and is now thriving  

KHQA 

The cause of the Cryptosporidiosis from the Pike County Fall Colour Drive in apple cider is now known.

A test done by the CDC on environmental and human specimens has confirmed that this illness was due to cow manure contamination.

This unpasteurized apple cider was made on a private family farm in Adams County specifically for family consumption and sale at the Pike County Fall Colour Drive October 17-18.

Sydney Morning Herald

Passengers aboard P&O’s newly-launched cruise liner say it is anything but a Pacific Eden, with a gastrointestinal outbreak affecting a number of passengers ahead of its return to Sydney on Monday.

The ship Pacific Eden, which docked in Sydney on Monday morning, has been accused of being a “floating disaster” and some passengers are seeking a refund.

Several passengers have contacted the Herald, claiming a norovirus gastrointestinal outbreak has affected a large number of passengers.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Edgewood Locker in Iowa recalled 207 pounds of beef sticks with cheese because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. No illnesses have been reported to date, but listeriosis, the illness caused by this bacteria, can take up to 70 days to appear.

The recalled product was sold from Edgewood Locker in Edgewood, Iowa or Greenwood Grocery in Farley, Iowa. The beef sticks have a lot number of 348. They were packaged in 8 ounce or 2 pound package sizes on December 15, 2015.

HEFFX

It is possible to get sick from eating just about anything: a cheeseburger, a bowl of salad, or a slice of mellon.

Food safety is, I believe, is one of many reasons to opt for locally produced foods rather than CAFO brands sold in grocery stores.

Besides safety, Organic, grass-fed, and finished meat, raised without antibiotics and other growth-promoting drugs is really the only type of meat that is healthy to eat, as I see it.

Growing your our food is your best option, but if that is not possible, the following organizations can help locate healthy farm-fresh foods locally  that have been raised in a humane, sustainable and likely safer manner.

Food Safety News 

Dr. Karen Smith, the state public health officer who is also director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)  yesterday said California is experiencing a sharp increase in norovirus cases, commonly referred to as stomach flu or winter vomiting disease.

CDPH disclosed the occurrence of  32 norovirus outbreaks  in California since Oct. 1, 2015 – likely resulting in hundreds of reported sicknesses in the state. These outbreaks far exceed the number reported at this time in 2014.

KEYC Mankato

Minnesota sees spike in Norovirus Illness

Nigerian Bulletin

As we eat and dine for Christmas, we should also be caution of our health as well as what we eat and take during this period.
Here is a report on meat that has been fattened with hormones and genetically modified feeds.
One of such meat is chicken. Nutritionists say that when it comes to buying a healthy chicken, it is better to buy organic farm animals.
Organic or free-ranged animals are fed only with naturally grown feed and plant sources. Also, organic animals cannot be given hormones or medical pills. These animals are treated differently from factory-farmed animals.
Organic farm animals include cows, pigs, chickens, and turkey that are fed only grass and other organic feeds. Nutritionists say that such meat reduces ones risk of food poisoning and infections.