Category Archives: Uncategorized

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Food safety advice for home cooks has always included certain rules. Always wash your hands before preparing foods and after handling raw meats, poultry, and eggs; keep perishable foods refrigerated, and wash all utensils well after using them.

But a new study conducted at the University of Georgia has found that utensils should also be washed after each use and before they are used on another food. Scientists found that the bacteria will “latch on” to utensils such as knives and graters and then contaminate the next food prepared with that item.

FSANZ

Date notified to FSANZ

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Consumer advice

FDA

Old Oregon Smokehouse of Rockaway, Oregon is voluntarily recalling ALL canned Albacore tuna with any codes starting with “OC” because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

The recalled product was sold to consumers from our retail stores in Tillamook, Oregon or Rockaway, Oregon. The last date of distribution of recalled product was September 2015.

Affected production codes include any codes starting with “OC”. The code can be found on either the bottom or on top of the can. Recalled products are packaged in metal cans with net weight 6 oz.

There have been no reported cases of illnesses associated with our product to date.

This voluntary recall was initiated after we were notified that our product was possibly under-processed by our contract manufacturer. The problem was discovered during an inspection at Skipanon Brand Seafoods LLC by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

AFN Food For Thought 

Campylobacter is a pathogenic bacteria and one of the most common causes of food poisoning in Australia. Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and fever that lasts up to two weeks. It is most commonly associated with contaminated poultry, water and unpasteurized dairy.

Current screening methods for Campylobacter rely on traditional microbiological techniques, which take up to 3 days and require microaerophilic conditions adding to the complexity of the test.

Veriflow® Campy Q™ from Invisible Sentinel is the latest test available on their molecular flow-based detection platform. The test requires only 10 minutes sample preparation time and provides quantitative Campylobacter species results in around 3 hours. Campy Q has been validated for use on poultry carcass rinsates and detects down to 1-2 cfu per ml.

Minimal equipment is required for the Campy Q, and is user friendly, so the test can be performed at any food processing site or laboratory.

Campy Q is available in Australia from Australasian Medical & Scientific Ltd. For further information please visit us at www.amsl.com.au

2 News

The Washoe County Health District says it’s currently investigating eight reported cases of E. coli.

Spokesman Phil Ulibarri says the health district was notified of the cases on Wednesday, November 4th with six cases affiliated with the Twisted Fork restaurant in south Reno, which remains opens for business.

There was no immediate information on the remaining two reported cases.

BBC 

The number of people infected with E. coli across England rose by more than 1,000 last year, figures have shown.

Dorset and North, East and West Devon were the worst hit for the infection with 629 and 612 cases each between September 2014 and September 2015.

Public Health England figures show there were 39,604 from September 2014 to September 2015, compared with 38,291 for the same period the year before.

The health authority said it was working to reduce the rate.

Wirral had the lowest number, 17, followed by Corby with 47.

Mary Ann Liebert

Hospitalized salmonellosis patients with concurrent chronic conditions may be at increased risk for adverse outcomes, increasing the costs associated with hospitalization. Identifying important modifiable risk factors for this predominantly foodborne illness may assist hospitals, physicians, and public health authorities to improve management of these patients. The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify the burden of salmonellosis hospitalizations in the United States, (2) describe hospitalization characteristics among salmonellosis patients with concurrent chronic conditions, and (3) examine the relationships between salmonellosis and comorbidities by four hospital-related outcomes. A retrospective analysis of salmonellosis discharges was conducted using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 2011. A supplemental trend analysis was performed for the period 2000–2011. Hospitalization characteristics were examined using multivariable regression modeling, with a focus on four outcome measures: in-hospital death, total amount billed by hospitals for services, length of stay, and disease severity. In 2011, there were 11,032 total salmonellosis diagnoses; 7496 were listed as the primary diagnosis, with 86 deaths (case-fatality rate = 1.2%). Multivariable regression analyses revealed a greater number of chronic conditions (≥4) among salmonellosis patients was associated with higher mean total amount billed by hospitals for services, longer length of stay, and greater disease severity (p ≤ 0.05). From 2000 to 2011, hospital discharges for salmonellosis increased by 27.2%, and the mean total amount billed by hospitals increased nearly threefold: $9,777 (2000) to $29,690 (2011). Observed increases in hospitalizations indicate the burden of salmonellosis remains substantial in the United States. The positive association between increased number of chronic conditions and the four hospital-related outcomes affirms the need for continual healthcare and public health investments to prevent and control this disease in vulnerable groups.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The food poisoning outbreak linked to apple cider consumed and sold at the Pike County Fall Color Drive in Illinois on October 17 and 18, 2015 has grown to include at least 70 people as of November 6, 2015. Adams and Pike County Health Departments are investigating the outbreak. Those sickened drank apple cider from vendors at several different locations during the event.

Officials aren’t sure if this outbreak is being caused by the Cryptosporidium parasite or E. coli bacteria.

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

The Polk County Health Department has released a report about a Clostridium perfringens food poisoning outbreak at the Roosevelt High School staff luncheon on October 22, 2015. That outbreak sickened at least 58 teachers with a diarrheal illness. Classes and after-school activities were cancelled in that school district to protect students.

Barf Blog 

I like a good food truck meal. The experience is less about eating food from a small sweaty kitchen and sitting on the ground and more about ordering something from a small menu that the chef specializes in. A couple of weeks ago I had a fantastic sautéed cauliflower and roasted potato pita from a food truck at a community event.

Before eating there I checked out whether they had an inspection grade (because there are some trucks that like to operate incognito, outside the law) and asked how they washed their hands. The chef told me that they have a handwashing sink with running water and a collection tank. I still have to trust that he actually uses it but at least he had the tools.