Category Archives: Uncategorized

USA – Giant Food recalls squash noodle medley due to Listeria concerns

Posted on September 7, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Giant Food is recalling Giant Food brand squash noodle medley because of possible Listeria contamination.

The product was sold in stores from Aug. 8 – 19. Giant Food officials encourage customers who may have purchased the product not to consume it.

The recalled product is:

UPC #68826718585 with an Aug. 19 “best enjoyed by” date.

Giant removed the product from stores after being notified by the supplier that a regulatory sample of the product tested positive for Listeria. Giant did not report what supplier or ingredient is involved.

Again, customers who purchased the affected product should not consume it and may return it to their local Giant Food store for a full refund. Customers may also contact Giant Food’s Customer Support Center at 888-469-4426.

Possible Listeria contamination prompts recall of squash noodle medley

 

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Ochratoxin A – Liquorice Root Raw – Basmati Rice

Posted on September 4, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

ochratoxin A (63.85 µg/kg – ppb) in liquorice root raw material from Ukraine in Romania

RASFF

ochratoxin A (8.3 µg/kg – ppb) in basmati rice from unknown origin, packaged in the United Kingdom in Switzerland

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Posted in Uncategorized

USA – Salmonella outbreak linked to onions tops 1,000 cases

Posted on September 2, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News today

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an additional 143 Salmonella Newport cases linked to red onions today, bringing the multistate outbreak total to 1,012 in 47 states.

Half the cases are reported from 5 western states–California (122), Washington (117), Utah (110), Oregon (101) and Montana (63).

136 hospitalizations have been reported. No deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic and traceback information showed that red onions are a likely source of this outbreak. Due to the way onions are grown and harvested, other onion types, such as white, yellow, or sweet yellow, are also likely to be contaminated.

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Netherlands – Important safety warning Holland & Barrett Elite oats 200 grams – Salmonella

Posted on September 1, 2020 by | Leave a comment

NVWA

bag of Elite oats from Holland & Barrett

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France – Les Viviers de St Colomban brand live breeding cockles – E.coli

Posted on August 29, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Oulah

Presence of Escherichia coli

PROPOSED SOLUTION

People who hold the product in question are asked not to consume them – and more particularly young children, pregnant women, immunocompromised people and the elderly – and to return them to the point of sale where they were purchased.

People who have consumed it and who present symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain or vomiting should consult their doctor as soon as possible, mentioning this consumption and the possible link with the bacterium Escherichia coli.

In the absence of symptoms within 10 days after consuming the affected products, there is no need to worry and consult a doctor.

The E. coli bacterium is naturally present in the digestive microflora of humans and warm-blooded animals. Some strains of E. coli are pathogenic, and can be responsible in humans for various disorders ranging from mild diarrhea to more serious forms such as hemorrhagic diarrhea or severe kidney damage such as HUS, mainly in young children.

FURTHER INFORMATION

▸ Sale
In the traditional fish department from 08/18/20 to 08/22/20.

▸ Consumer service contact
For any further information, you can contact the company “Les Viviers de St Colomban” at 02.97.52.26.66.

▸ Source
https://www.carrefour.fr/

https://www.oulah.fr/rappel-produit-coques-delevage-vivantes-de-marque-les-viviers-de-st-colomban/

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Uncategorized

Research -Erythrosine B (Red Dye No. 3): A potential photosensitizer for the photodynamic inactivation of foodborne pathogens in tomato juice

Posted on August 29, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of erythrosine B (ERY, Red No. 3)‐mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) for inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in tomato juice. The inoculated tomato juice was subjected to xenon light (E − L+), ERY (E + L−), or xenon light and ERY combination (E + L+) treatments. Treatment with E + L+ for 15 min decreased the cell counts of E. coli O157:H7, S . Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes by 6.77, 2.74, and 6.43 log CFU/mL, respectively, without generating sublethally injured cells. The cell count reductions of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes in the E + L+ treatment group were higher than the sum of cell count reductions in the E − L+ and E + L− treatment groups, which indicated the synergistic activity of the treatment combination. The T 3d and T 5d values calculated by the Weibull model indicated that S . Typhimurium exhibited higher resistance to the E + L+ treatment than the other two pathogens. Compared with control group, the E + L+ treatment group exhibited higher lycopene content and a * (red) value, whereas the pH value and sensory attributes were not significantly (p  > .05) altered. These results suggest that ERY‐mediated PDT can be potentially applied to control foodborne pathogens in tomato juice products without negatively affecting the product quality.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Technology, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Salmonella, Technology, Uncategorized

Research – Enhanced elimination of Salmonella Typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni on chicken skin by sequential exposure to ultrasound and peroxyacetic acid

Posted on August 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

The present study investigated the effects of combined ultrasound (37 kHz, 380 W for 5 min) and peroxyacetic acid (PAA; 50–200 ppm) treatment on the reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni on chicken skin. Ultrasound was not sufficient to inactivate S . Typhimurium (0.48 log CFU/g reduction) or C. jejuni (0.25 log CFU/g reduction), whereas PAA significantly (p  < .05) reduced S . Typhimurium (0.93–1.59 log CFU/g reduction) and C. jejuni (0.77–1.52 log CFU/g reduction). However, maximum reductions of 2.21 and 2.08 log CFU/g were observed for S . Typhimurium and C. jejuni , respectively, for combined treatment with 5 min of ultrasound and 200 ppm PAA. Our results indicate that a combination of ultrasound treatment for 5 min and 200 ppm PAA was more effective in reducing S . Typhimurium and C. jejuni compared to the individual treatments, without significantly affecting the color or texture of the chicken skin, thus, demonstrating its potential to increase the microbial safety during poultry processing.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Technology, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, Technology, Uncategorized

Research – Effectiveness of edible coatings to inhibit browning and inactivate foodborne pathogens on fresh‐cut apples

Posted on August 27, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Multiple formulations of edible coating solutions were developed and evaluated for their ability to maintain the quality and minimize populations of foodborne bacteria on fresh‐cut apples. Fresh‐cut apples were artificially inoculated with Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes , and dip‐treated with coating solutions. Changes in populations of pathogens and molds and yeasts (M&Y) were evaluated after solution treatments and during storage at 4°C for 35 days. Changes in color, texture firmness, and weight loss during storage were also determined. Among the formulations, the solution containing 1% of three organic acids (acetic, lactic, and levulinic acids), 2% N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine or L‐cysteine with 0.5% chitosan demonstrated the best effectiveness for the simultaneous reduction of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, control of browning, and maintenance of the quality of fresh‐cut apples. The treated apple slices had nondetectable pathogens and M&Y (<1 log CFU) and the least quality changes for 35‐day storage. The developed solutions can be used at processing plants, retail stores, or homes to protect fresh‐cut apples or other fresh‐cut fruits and vegetables from microbiological and quality deterioration.

 

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research – Effect of antibacterial treatments and natural chemicals on the quality and safety of marinated raw crab paste during storage at −20°C

Posted on August 26, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

The effects of antibacterial treatments and several natural chemicals on the quality and safety of crab paste during storage at −20°C were investigated. All antibacterial treatments significantly reduced the bacterial total viable count (TVC) of swimming crabs, with sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) combined with ultrasonic cleaning having the best effects. Four chemicals significantly inhibited the increase in TVC, pH, and the accumulation of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) compared to controls, and their combined treatment had synergistic effects. The L 9 (3 4 ) orthogonal experiment showed that the optimum combination was A 1B 3C 3D 2 (i.e., 0.1 g kg−1 nisin, 0.4 g kg−1 ε‐polylysine hydrochloride, 0.3 g kg−1 tea polyphenol, and 0.5 g kg−1 citric acid). The TVC, TVB‐N concentration, and pH in A 1B 3C 3D 3‐treated samples remained far below the maximum acceptable limit for good‐quality marinated, raw, aquatic animal product after 12 months of frozen storage at −20°C. Furthermore, the combined treatment (A 1B 3C 3D 3) significantly inhibited the reproduction of foodborne pathogenic bacteria and spoilage bacteria. The antibacterial treatments and natural chemicals reduced foodborne pathogenic bacteria and inhibited microbial spoilage, and therefore maintained the quality and safety of crab paste during frozen storage. Antibacterial treatments and natural chemicals could be commercially utilized to maintain the quality and safety of crab paste.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Uncategorized

Research – Microbiological quality of raw drinking milk and unpasteurised dairy products: results from England 2013–2019

Posted on August 26, 2020 by | Leave a comment

cambridge.org

The aim of this study was to review microbiology results from testing >2500 raw drinking milk and dairy products made with unpasteurised milk examined in England between 2013 and 2019. Samples were collected as part of incidents of contamination, investigation of infections or as part of routine monitoring and were tested using standard methods for a range of both pathogens and hygiene indicators. Results from testing samples of raw cow’s milk or cheese made from unpasteurised milk for routine monitoring purposes were overall of better microbiological quality than those collected during incident or investigations of infections. Results from routine monitoring were satisfactory for 62% of milks, 82% of cream, 100% of ice-cream, 51% of butter, 63% of kefir and 79% of cheeses, with 5% of all samples being considered potentially hazardous. Analysis of data from cheese demonstrated a significant association between increasing levels of indicator Escherichia coli with elevated levels of coagulase positive staphylococci and decreased probability of isolation of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. These data highlight the public health risk associated with these products and provide further justification for controls applied to raw drinking milk and dairy products made with unpasteurised milk.

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Posted in E.coli, Food Microbiology Research, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese, Research, Staphylococcus aureus, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized