Category Archives: Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Animal Feed – Salmonella

Posted on May 21, 2014 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – Salmonella Agona (in 3 out of 8 samples /25g) in rapeseed meal from Germany in Sweden

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USA – Frozen Mice – Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on May 21, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Contact with frozen feeder rodents has been linked to 37 people from 18 states becoming infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium, according to an announcement Tuesday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

CDC noted that the cases were reported between Jan 11 and May 13, 2014, 15 percent of those sickened had been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback findings have linked this outbreak of Salmonella infections to contact with frozen feeder rodents packaged by Reptile Industries Inc. of Naples, FL, CDC stated.

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USA – Hummus Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on May 20, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Listeria Blog

Prepared foods manufacturer Lansal Inc. (doing business as Hot Mama’s Foods) of Springfield, MA, announced Monday that, as a precaution, it is voluntarily recalling approximately 14,860 pounds of hummus and dip products due to concerns about possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The potential for contamination was found during a routine test of Target Archer Farms Traditional Hummus (10 ounce) by the Texas Department of Health. No illnesses have been reported.

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USA – Ground Beef Recalled – E.coli O157

Posted on May 19, 2014 by | Leave a comment

E.coli Blog

Wolverine Packing Company, a Detroit, Mich. establishment, is recalling approximately 1.8 million pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ground beef products were produced between March 31, 2014 and April 18, 2014. For a full list of products that were recalled please see the attached document.

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 2574B” and will have a production date code in the format “Packing Nos: MM DD 14” between “03 31 14” and “04 18 14”. These products were shipped to distributors for restaurant use in Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio. There was no distribution of the products to the Department of Defense, the National School Lunch Program, or catalog/internet sales.

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Research – Presence of Escherichia coli in Poultry Meat

Posted on May 17, 2014 by | Leave a comment

International Food Research Journal imagesCAYZ5I84

Escherichia coli is an important pollution indicator and its pathogenic strains is a serious public health concern. A study was conducted to investigate the presence of E. coli and its pathogenic strain O157 in raw poultry meat and its antimicrobial sensitivity pattern to common antibiotics. Total number (n = 152) of samples were studied, out of which 25% (38/152) were found contaminated with E. coli. The prevalence of pathogenic strain O157 was 2% (3/152). In the antibiogram study, 92% (35/38) isolates showed resistance to ampicillin and tetracycline. The resistance against kanamycin were 15.8% (6/38), whereas 23.7% (9/38) against streptomycin. Several E. coli isolates were found resistant to multiple antibiotics. One E. coli isolate showed resistance to seven antibiotics (ampicillin, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid and kanamycin) out of nine antibiotics used in the study. The antibiotic resistance of E. coli to common commercial antibiotic is a potential threat to food safety and public health.

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USA – Pecorino Cheese Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on May 17, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Losurdo Foods of Hackensack New Jersey is recalling Pecorino Romano cheese for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. There is no word on whether or not any illnesses have been reported in connection with the consumption of this product, but listeriosis, the illness caused by that bacteria, can take weeks to develop.

The recalled product is Losurdo Imported Grated Pecorino Romano, in 80 ounce (5 pound) containers. The UPC number is 0 75009 00232 4, and the lot number is 021914. The product is packaged within a black plastic bag, with 5 bags per carton

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USA – Raw Milk Again – E.coli O157

Posted on May 17, 2014 by | Leave a comment

E.coli Blog 19243

Two cases of E. coli 0157:H7 in West Michigan have been traced back to consumption of raw milk products from an Ottawa County cow share program. In March, a 31 year old Muskegon County woman became ill after drinking raw milk, and in April, a 6 year old child from Kent County became ill after possible consumption of the raw milk product.

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Research – Technology – Smartphones and a Food Illness Outbreak – Clostridium perfringens

Posted on May 16, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Eurosurveillance

On 22 March 2013, 150 of 1,255 students (13–17 years) and staff at a school in London reported gastrointestinal symptoms; onset peaked 8 to 12 hours after a lunch served in the school on 21 March. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all students and staff. We defined cases as school attenders on 20 and 21 March with onset of gastrointestinal symptoms between 20 and 23 March. We tested food, environmental and stool samples of cases for common pathogens and bacterial toxins. We administered an online questionnaire via email, encouraging the use of smartphones to respond, to measure risk of illness for food items eaten at school on 20 and 21 March. Survey response was 45%. Adjusted risk ratios were generated in a multivariable analysis. Those who ate chicken balti on 21 March were 19.3 times more likely to become ill (95% confidence interval: 7.3–50.9). Clostridium perfringens was detected in all 19 stool samples collected. Within eight school hours of its launch, 412 of 561 (73%) responders had completed the survey. Hygienic standards in the kitchen were satisfactory. The investigation was done rapidly due to smartphone technology and we recommend considering this technology in future outbreaks.

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Abu Dhabi – 100 Labourers Hospitalised – Food Poisoning

Posted on May 16, 2014 by | Leave a comment

7 Days in Abu Dhabi

More than 100 labourers in Abu Dhabi have been hospitalised after suspected food poisoning.

The workers were reported to have eaten bad food at their accommodation camp in Musaffah during Tuesday night, causing them discomfort.

The men were taken to Al Ahalia Hospital in Musaffah on Wednesday in three company buses while others were taken by ambulance. Officials at the hospital told 7DAYS that they started admitting dozens of Asian workers in batches at around 12.30pm due to suspected food poisoning.

“All the workers were admitted at the emergency department. They complained of stomach pains, loose motions, headaches and some felt exhaustion. They were all given treatment,” said an official at the hospital.

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USA – Over 300 Sickened at a Wedding – Clostridium perfringens

Posted on May 16, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News Clost

More than 300 people were sickened with Clostridium perfringens from a April 5 wedding in Sullivan, MO, according to the Franklin County Health Department.

Health officials told The Missourian that the cause was gravy that took too long to cool down, allowing the bacteria to grow and emit toxins.

Hours after the wedding, guests were stricken with abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

After food and stool samples tested negative for Norovirus, the state lab sent the samples to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which confirmed the presence of Clostridium perfringens.

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