Category Archives: Uncategorized

UK – Sixteen people food poisoned after eating ‘runny’ uncooked pate at Essex golf club

Posted on February 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Essex Live

Sixteen guests were food poisoned and had “cramps and diarrhoea” after eating “runny” uncooked chicken liver pate at an Essex golf club.

The club’s then-operating company Crown Golf Operators Ltd, have now been fined £60,000, after the guests fell ill after eating at Stapleford Abbots Golf Club in Romford on June 17, 2017.

After playing golf that day around 24-25 guests sat down for a three-course meal, which included the pate as a starter and a carvery for mains from a set menu.

Within a day after this meal, 16 of the guests reported being ill. Some of them were ill for up to two weeks and some had to be hospitalised.

On January 29, Crown Golf Operators Ltd, were sentenced at Basildon Crown Court after pleading guilty to placing food on the market at the Romford club that was unsafe and unfit for human consumption.

The head chef at the club, Chris James, who was a co-defendent and had cooked the chicken liver pate, entered a not-guilty plea. At his trial last year, he was offered a formal caution, which he accepted.

Stapleford Abbots Golf Club is currently under new ownership after it was sold and taken over in February 2019.

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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 Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

USA – Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Turkey Products — United States, 2017–2019

Posted on February 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Salmonella Reading is a serotype that is uncommonly associated with human illness. Salmonella outbreaks have previously been associated with ground turkey and turkey burgers.

What is added by this report?

During November 2017–March 2019, a multistate outbreak of S. Reading involving 356 cases in 42 states occurred. Patients reported exposure to various turkey products, suggesting industry-wide contamination, a novel type of outbreak in which contamination is not isolated to a single food or facility.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Interventions should target all parts of the supply chain, including slaughter and processing facilities and upstream farm sources. Public health agencies and industry can take steps to provide more consumer education about food safety.

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

USA – Flax seed pills test positive for Salmonella

Posted on February 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Salud Natural Entrepreneur, Inc. of Waukegan, IL is voluntarily recalling Nopalina Flax Seed Fiber (powder) and Nopalina Flax Seed Fiber (capsule) products due to possible Salmonella contamination in one of the ingredients used on the formula of Nopalina Flax Seed Fiber.

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.

The recall is the result of an FDA sampling of senna leaves powder, an ingredient used to manufacture the Nopalina Flax Seed Fiber (powder) and Nopalina Flax Seed Fiber (capsules), that tested positive for three types of Salmonella including Salmonella Gaminara, Salmonella Kentucky, and Salmonella Oranienburg. The company has ceased the use of the suspect ingredient.

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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 – Occurrence and characterisation of biofilms in drinking water systems of broiler houses

Posted on February 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

NCBI

Abstract

Background

Water quality in the drinking water system (DWS) plays an important role in the general health and performance of broiler chickens. Conditions in the DWS of broilers are ideal for microbial biofilm formation. Since pathogens might reside within these biofilms, they serve as potential source of waterborne transmission of pathogens to livestock and humans. Knowledge about the presence, importance and composition of biofilms in the DWS of broilers is largely missing. In this study, we therefore aim to monitor the occurrence, and chemically and microbiologically characterise biofilms in the DWS of five broiler farms.

Results

The bacterial load after disinfection in DWSs was assessed by sampling with a flocked swab followed by enumerations of total aerobic flora (TAC) and Pseudomonas spp. The dominant flora was identified and their biofilm-forming capacity was evaluated. Also, proteins, carbohydrates and uronic acids were quantified to analyse the presence of extracellular polymeric substances of biofilms. Despite disinfection of the water and the DWS, average TAC was 6.03 ± 1.53 log CFU/20cm2. Enumerations for Pseudomonas spp. were on average 0.88 log CFU/20cm2 lower. The most identified dominant species from TAC were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas geniculata and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However at species level, most of the identified microorganisms were farm specific. Almost all the isolates belonging to the three most abundant species were strong biofilm producers. Overall, 92% of all tested microorganisms were able to form biofilm under lab conditions. Furthermore, 63% of the DWS surfaces appeared to be contaminated with microorganisms combined with at least one of the analysed chemical components, which is indicative for the presence of biofilm.

Conclusions

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas geniculata and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are considered as opportunistic pathogens and could consequently be a potential risk for animal health. Additionally, the biofilm-forming capacity of these organisms could promote attachment of other pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-019-1451-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Posted in Biofilm, Campylobacter, Food Microbiology Research, Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Research, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Canada-Bottled clams from Cielo Glamping Maritime recalled due to potential presence of dangerous bacteria -Clostridium botulinum

Posted on February 3, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

CDC Clost Spore

Image CDC

Recall details

Ottawa, February 1, 2020 – Cielo Glamping Maritime is recalling bottled clams from the marketplace because they may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

Recalled products

Brand Product Size UPC Codes
None Bottled clams (no label) 500 ml None None – Sold from Cielo Glamping Maritime, 232 Chemin des Huîtres, Haut-Shippigan NB
None Bottled clams (no label) 1 L None None – Sold from Cielo Glamping Maritime, 232 Chemin des Huîtres, Haut-Shippigan NB

What you should do

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.

Check to see if you have the recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.

Symptoms in adults can include facial paralysis or loss of facial expression, unreactive or fixed pupils, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking, slurred speech, and a change in sound of voice, including hoarseness.

Symptoms of foodborne botulism in children can include difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, generalized weakness and paralysis. In all cases, botulism does not cause a fever.  In severe cases of illness, people may die.

Background

This recall was triggered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) inspection activities. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing the recalled products from the marketplace.

Illnesses

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Product photos

Printer ready version of photos

  • Bottled clams (no label)
  • Bottled clams (no label) - Lid

 

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Posted in CFIA, Clostridium botulinum, 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, Uncategorized

Research – Detection of multiple naturally occurring Salmonella serotypes from commercial broiler carcasses with conventional methods

Posted on February 2, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Many laboratories sampling foods for Salmonella are interested only in presence or absence of Salmonella, so only one colony may be selected. The objectives of this study were to use two selective enrichment broths and two selective agar plating media for Salmonella recovery from naturally contaminated broiler carcass rinsates and evaluate these media combinations on Salmonella serotypes recovered from each carcass. Broiler carcasses (n = 52) from a commercial processing plant prior to chilling were rinsed with buffered peptone water and after incubation subcultured to gram‐negative and tetrathionate, and after inoculation to Rappaport Vassiliadis broth which was incubated and then streaked onto plates of Brilliant Green Sulfa and Xylose‐Lysine‐Tergitol‐4 agar. On 11/49 positive carcasses, both plating media yielded the same serotypes; for the other 38 positive samples different serotypes were found on the different plating media. Enrichment and plating media combinations influence the serotypes recovered and demonstrates bias even in a limited study such as this.

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

Research – Come on in: Bile acids open the door to Norovirus infection

Posted on February 2, 2020 by | Leave a comment

BCM

Some people call it the ship cruise virus, but norovirus can be found in many other places. People can catch this very contagious virus from an infected person, contaminated food or water or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes acute gastroenteritis – the stomach and/or the intestines get inflamed, and this leads to stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Noroviruses are the leading cause of foodborne illness.

“In the Science paper, we showed that bile, a yellowish fluid produced by the liver that helps digest fats in the small intestine, was key to successfully culturing certain strains of norovirus in the lab,” said Victoria R. Tenge, graduate student of molecular virology and microbiology in the Estes’s lab. “The work discussed here (of which Tenge is co-first author) shows the results of our continuing investigations to identify the bile components that are involved in promoting norovirus infection.”

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus

Research – Mode of action of nisin on Escherichia coli

Posted on February 1, 2020 by | Leave a comment

nrc research 

Nisin is a class I polycyclic bacteriocin produced by the bacterium Lactococcus lactis, which is used extensively as a food additive to inhibit the growth of foodborne Gram-positive bacteria. Nisin also inhibits growth of Gram-negative bacteria when combined with membrane-disrupting chelators such as citric acid. To gain insight into nisin’s mode of action, we analyzed chemical–genetic interactions and identified nisin-sensitive Escherichia coli strains in the Keio library of knockout mutants. The most sensitive mutants fell into two main groups. The first group accords with the previously proposed mode of action based on studies with Gram-positive bacteria, whereby nisin interacts with factors involved in cell wall, membrane, envelope biogenesis. We identified an additional, novel mode of action for nisin based on the second group of sensitive mutants that involves cell cycle and DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Further analyses supported these two distinct modes of action.

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Posted in E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, lactic acid bacteria, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Uncategorized

Research – Indoor Particulate Matter From Smoker Homes Induces Bacterial Growth, Biofilm Formation, and Impairs Airway Antimicrobial Activity. A Pilot Study

Posted on February 1, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Frontiers

Background: Particulate matter (PM) air pollution causes deleterious health effects; however, less is known about health effects of indoor air particulate matter (IAP).

Objective: To understand whether IAP influences distinct mechanisms in the development of respiratory tract infections, including bacterial growth, biofilm formation, and innate immunity. Additionally, we tested whether IAP from Iowa houses of subjects with and without recent respiratory exacerbations recapitulated the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) IAP findings.

Methods: To test the effect of NIST and Iowa IAP on bacterial growth and biofilm formation, we assessed Staphylococcus aureus growth and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation with and without the presence of IAP. To assess the effect of IAP on innate immunity, we exposed primary human airway surface liquid (ASL) to NIST, and Iowa IAP. Lastly, we tested whether specific metals may be responsible for effects on airway innate immunity.

Results: NIST and Iowa IAP significantly enhanced bacterial growth and biofilm formation. NIST IAP (whole particle and the soluble portion) impaired ASL antimicrobial activity. IAP from one Iowa home significantly impaired ASL antimicrobial activity (p < 0.05), and five other homes demonstrated a trend (p ≤ 0.18) of impaired ASL antimicrobial activity. IAP from homes of subjects with a recent history of respiratory exacerbation tended (p = 0.09) to impair ASL antimicrobial activity more than IAP from homes of those without a history respiratory exacerbation. Aluminum and Magnesium impaired ASL antimicrobial activity, while copper was bactericidal. Combining metals varied their effect on ASL antimicrobial activity.

Conclusions: NIST IAP and Iowa IAP enhanced bacterial growth and biofilm formation. ASL antimicrobial activity was impaired by NIST IAP, and Iowa house IAP from subjects with recent respiratory exacerbation tended to impair ASL antimicrobial activity. Individual metals may explain impaired ASL antimicrobial activity; however, antimicrobial activity in the presence of multiple metals warrants further study.

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Posted in Biofilm, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Research, Staphylococcus aureus, Uncategorized

Research – Assessment of the potential of Arabic gum as an antimicrobial and antioxidant agent in developing vegan “egg‐free” mayonnaise

Posted on January 31, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

The main factors affecting the spoilage of mayonnaise are lipid oxidation and microbial contamination. Therefore, the investigation was carried out to estimate the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of the aqueous extract of the Arabic gum (AG). The effect of the addition of AG powder on physical–chemical and sensory properties has been evaluated in different percentages of 25, 50, 75, and 100 into mayonnaise. At the highest concentration of AG 20 mg/ml, the DPPH result represented high antioxidant activity at 92.13%. AG had inhibitory effects on gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria, with Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis being the most susceptible bacteria. The use of AG as an egg substitute in mayonnaise has been shown to have a great effect on physical–chemical properties. All mayonnaise samples were sensory acceptable, particularly vegan mayonnaise (100% AG) and still acceptable for consumption at 5°C for 5 months of storage. AG could be considered an additive with significant emulsifier properties, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. Therefore, AG is a good choice to produce new vegetarian products for consumers who are unable to eat egg‐based foods.

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