Category Archives: Uncategorized

Research – Scientists say raw milk testing in England ineffective

Posted on February 7, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The current testing regime in England for unpasteurized milk is not fit for purpose, according to researchers describing a 2016 Campylobacter outbreak that sickened 69 people.

They say there was a need for regular microbiological monitoring to detect contamination with pathogens and recommended reviewing the legal testing criteria to include pathogen assessment, to ensure future outbreaks are prevented.

In December 2016, Public Health England investigated an outbreak of campylobacteriosis in North West England, with 69 infections during an 11-week period, according to the study published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection.

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Posted in Campylobacter, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Uncategorized

Poland – 250 new cases in Salmonella egg outbreak affecting 18 countries

Posted on February 7, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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Almost 250 new infections have been recorded in a multi-country outbreak of Salmonella linked to eggs from Poland.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reported that as of January this year, 18 countries have reported 656 confirmed and 202 probable cases since February 2017.

There are 385 historically confirmed and 413 historical probable cases going as far back as 2012 making it the largest European Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak ever recorded. However, ECDC officials said the true extent of the outbreak was likely underestimated.

Since the last update in November 2018, 248 new cases have been reported, of which 124 were confirmed, 36 probable, 42 historical-confirmed and 46 historical-probable infections.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Cyprus – Smoked sausage brand withdrawn due to Salmonella risk

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Cyprus Mail

The health ministry on Wednesday called for the withdrawal of a specific brand of smoked sausages after the state’s health services found they contained bacteria that causes salmonella.

State laboratory tests found bacteria that cause salmonella infection in the product sold under the name Agroikia traditional sausages from Agros – smoked and marinated in wine with the lot number is L191210 which expires on December 20, 2020.

It is sold sealed in airtight plastic by the P&I delicatessen Ltd company.

The state’s health services informed the production company to immediately withdraw the specific lot number of the product from the Cypriot market.

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Posted in 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, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research – Effects of post‐packaging pasteurization process on microbial, chemical, and sensory qualities of ready‐to‐eat cured vacuum‐packed Turkey breast

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Wiley Online

Ready‐to‐eat (RTE) cured vacuum‐packed turkey breast was pasteurized (80°C, 5.5 min) and stored at 8°C (like supermarkets refrigerator temperature). After 42 days (current shelf life of this product), in control group (RTE cured vacuum‐packed turkey breast), the number of mesophilic, anaerobic, lactic acid bacteria, mold and yeast, coliform, and psychrotrophic increased 5.82, 6.85, 5.85, 4.75, 1.49, and 5.57 log CFU/g, respectively. However, in the pasteurized samples, the number of mesophilic, anaerobic, and lactic acid bacteria increased 1.86, 2.12, and 2.28 log CFU/g, respectively, and mold and yeast, coliform, and psychrotrophic bacteria were under the detection limit. The effects of post‐packaging pasteurization on the reduction of total mesophilic, anaerobic and lactic acid bacteria counts on Day 42 of storage was 7.04 ± 0.33, 4.73 ± 0.11, and 5.58 ± 0.11 log CFU/g, respectively. Sensory quality of treated samples was significantly better than the control’s (p < .05). Post‐packaging pasteurization (PPP) significantly inhibited the reduction in the pH and the increase in TVB‐N, TBARS, titratable acidity, and drip loss (p < .05). This study shows the effectiveness of PPP on microbial, chemical, and sensory quality of cured vacuum‐packed turkey breast during cold storage.

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Posted in Coliforms, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, lactic acid bacteria, microbial contamination, Microbiology, mold, Moulds, Research, Uncategorized

Kenya – Maize Flour With High Aflatoxin Levels Destroyed in Nakuru

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All Africa

Thirty six tonnes of assorted maize flour brands with high aflatoxin levels have been destroyed in Nakuru.

The flour was found unfit for human consumption following a market surveillance carried out by the county government.

The county’s Public Health Chief Officer Samuel King’ori together with Medical Service Director Solomon Sirma led other officers from the Health department in destroying the consignment at Nakuru’s Gioto dumpsite.

The maize flour was seized last month from traders in Gilgil and Naivasha sub-counties.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Peanuts – Groundnuts -Pistachios – Hazlenut Meal Dried Figs

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RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 17; Tot. = 19 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from the United States in Denmark

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 11.2; Tot. = 12.9 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled groundnuts from the United States in Bulgaria

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 19; Tot. = 21 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Turkey in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 5 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 11; Tot. = 13 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from India in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 39; Tot. = 42.12 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Iran in Greece

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 18.4; Tot. = 35.2 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut meal from Georgia in Slovakia

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 12.5; Tot. = 30 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Slovakia

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Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Chilled Garlic Shrimp – Arugula Lettuce – Wild Salmon – Chilled Cured Ham

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RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in chilled garlic shrimp from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF – Listeria (present /25g) in arugula lettuce from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (760 CFU/g) in frozen wild salmon portions (Oncorhynchus keta) from Poland in France

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (detected /25g) in chilled cured ham from Italy in Belgium

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Posted in 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, RASFF, Uncategorized

RASFF Alert – Mycotoxin – Patulin – Apple Juice – Apple Puree

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RASFF – patulin (123, 162, 130 µg/kg – ppb) in clarified apple juice from Spain in Spain

RASFF – patulin (81 µg/kg – ppb) in apple puree from Spain in Spain

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Patulin, RASFF, Toxin, Uncategorized

RASFF Alert – Norovirus – Live Oysters

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RASFF – norovirus (GII /2g) in live oysters from France in Italy

RASFF – norovirus (GI, GII /2g) in live oysters from France in Italy

RASFF – norovirus (GI and GII /g) in live oysters (Crassostrea Gigas) from France in Italy

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus, RASFF, Uncategorized, Virus

RASFF Alert- Foodborne Outbreak suspected (norovirus) – Live Oysters

Posted on February 7, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – foodborne outbreak suspected (norovirus) to be caused by live oysters from France in the Netherlands

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, outbreak, RASFF, Uncategorized, Virus