Category Archives: Uncategorized

Research – Salmonella found to be resistant to different classes of antibiotics

Posted on November 15, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily Salmonella kswfoodworld

Brazil’s Ministry of Health received reports of 11,524 outbreaks of foodborne diseases between 2000 and 2015, with 219,909 individuals falling sick and 167 dying from the diseases in question. Bacteria caused most outbreaks of such illnesses, including diarrhea and gastroenteritis. The most frequent were Salmonella spp., with 31,700 cases diagnosed in the period (14.4% of the total), Staphylococcus aureus (7.4%), and Escherichia coli (6.1%).

According to a survey by the Ministry of Social Development, bacteria of the genus Salmonella were the etiological agents in 42.5% of the laboratory-confirmed foodborne disease outbreaks reported in Brazil between 1999 and 2009.

Whole-genome sequencing of the main bacteria that cause acute diarrhea is the research focus for a group at the University of São Paulo led by Juliana Pfrimer Falcão, a professor at the university’s Ribeirão Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCFRP-USP).

In an article published in PLOS ONE, biomedical scientists Amanda Aparecida Seribelli and Fernanda Almeida, who belong to Falcão’s lab, describe how they sequenced and investigated the genomes of 90 strains of a specific serovar of Salmonella enterica known as S. Typhimurium (an abbreviation of Salmonella enterica subspecies serovar Typhimurium).

The 90 strains were isolated between 1983 and 2013 at Adolfo Lutz Institute in Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo State, Brazil) and Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) in Rio de Janeiro. They provide a portrait of the epidemiology of salmonellosis in Brazil in the last 30 years, coming from all regions of the country and having been collected from patients with foodborne infections or from contaminated food such as poultry, pork, or lettuce and other vegetables.

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

Research – Supermarket produce harbors antibiotic-resistance genes

Posted on November 14, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily

Researchers have found that produce is a reservoir for transferable antibiotic resistance genes that often escape traditional molecular detection methods. These antibiotic resistance genes might escape cultivation-independent detection, but could still be transferred to human pathogens or commensals. The results highlight the importance of the rare microbiome of produce as a source of antibiotic resistance genes.

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Posted in Uncategorized

USA -Alebrije Dist Wholesale Recalls Quesillo Queseria “La Milagrosa” and “Alebrije Cheese” Because of Possible Health Risk – Salmonella

Posted on November 14, 2018 by | Leave a comment

FDA

ALEBRIJE DIST WHOLESALE is collaborating with health officials due to a positive finding of Salmonella in a sample of Quesillo “Queseria La Milagrosa”. ALEBRIJE DIST WHOLESALE is voluntarily recalling the amount of 100 kilos of Quesillo “Queseria La Milagrosa”. While “Alebrije Cheese” has not been found positive for Salmonella, ALEBRIJE DIST WHOLESALE has decided to voluntarily recall the specific 498 “Alebrije Cheese” pieces that were imported during the same period out of an abundance of caution.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Affected product was distributed the dates between October 23 and October 24 through retail sale and direct delivery, in Los Angeles, CA. The specific product subject to recall is identified as:

Quesillo “Queseria La Milagrosa”. It´s wrapped in a basic plastic bag with a yellow label with two presentations ½ kg and 1kg.

“Alebrije Cheese” It´s wrapped in a basic plastic bag with an orange and blue label with three presentations ½ kg, 1kg and 5kg.

“No illnesses have been reported to date.”
The recall was as the result of a routine sampling.inspection by the CDFA which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria. The company has ceased the distribution of the product as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased Quesillo “Queseria La Milagrosa” and “Alebrije Cheese” are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions should call at 1-619-646-5361, open 9 am through 5 pm PST, Monday through Friday.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research – Levels of AMR E. coli in UK retail meat remain low

Posted on November 14, 2018 by | Leave a comment

FSA

Levels of AMR E. coli in UK retail meat remain low

News
We have published the Year 3 results of an EU survey commissioned to assess the frequency of certain types of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) E. coli in raw UK retail pork and beef. Results show that these AMR levels remain consistently low, similar to those from the previous survey on beef and pork in Year 1.

Year 3 of the survey was carried out between January and December 2017 during which 314 beef and 310 pork samples were purchased from retail premises in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and tested for specific types of AMR E. coli.

The survey generates baseline data on certain types of AMR E. coli found on retail meat in the UK, which will subsequently inform our assessment of the risks and our next steps to reducing exposure to AMR.

Overall, results showed that less than 1% of the samples were positive for ESBL or AmpC E. coli, which are specific types of AMR. These results are similar to what was found in Year 1 of the survey. However, one beef sample was found to be contaminated with an E. coli containing the mcr-1 gene which confers resistance to the antibiotic colistin.

FSA’s Head of Microbiological Risk Assessment, Paul Cook said:

‘This is thought to be the first discovery of an mcr-1 positive E. coli from retail beef in the UK. Although the meat came from outside the UK, further testing indicated no contamination with this E.coli on other samples and at this stage we have not been able to pinpoint the source of the contamination. However, a risk assessment has been carried out and we want to make it clear that the risk to public health is very low.

‘Tackling AMR is a significant priority for the FSA and across UK Government. This survey allows us to monitor certain AMR E. coli trends over time, but also compares the UK situation with that of other EU Member States. In the recently published 2015 EU report, the UK compared favourably to results from other European countries.’

These findings have been collected on behalf of the European Commission as part of an EU-wide seven-year surveillance study. The data is fed back to the European Commission on a yearly basis and reported in the EU Summary Report on Antimicrobial Resistance.

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Antimicrobials, E.coli, Uncategorized

Research -Google FINDER Search May Pinpoint Restaurants Associated with Food Poisoning Outbreaks

Posted on November 14, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Google and Harvard University have developed a new method for identifying restaurants that may be the source of food poisoning outbreaks much more quickly than traditional methods. The method is called FINDER (Foodborne IllNess DEtector in Real time), which uses web search and location data. Most food poisoning outbreaks are linked to restaurants and delis.

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

Research -Microbiological Testing Program for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli: Individual Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components

Posted on November 14, 2018 by | Leave a comment

USDA

Table 1. Raw Ground Beef Products (RGB) Analyzed for E. coli O157:H7, Current Calendar Year

Sample Source1 Collection Date Where Collected Product Status Positives this Year Samples Analyzed this Year Total Positives2 Total Samples Analyzed2
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 15, 2018 MN Held 4 9,541 540 238,301
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 9, 2018 NC Held 3 9,297 539 238,057
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Mar 26, 2018 OR Held 2 3,085 538 231,845
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Feb 8, 2018 CA Held 1 1,704 537 230,464

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Microbiological Testing Program for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli: Individual Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components

View by Year:  
2018 Positive Results
2017 Positive Results
2016 Positive Results
2015 Positive Results
2014 Positive Results
2013 Positive Results
2012 Positive Results
2011 Positive Results
2010 Positive Results
2009 Positive Results
2008 Positive Results
2007 Positive Results
2006 Positive Results
2005 Positive Results
2004 Positive Results
2003 Positive Results
2002 Positive Results
2001 Positive Results

The table below includes all positive results as of November 4, 2018.

Table 1. Raw Ground Beef Products (RGB) Analyzed for E. coli O157:H7, Current Calendar Year 

Sample Source1 Collection Date Where Collected Product Status Positives this Year Samples Analyzed this Year Total Positives2 Total Samples Analyzed2
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 15, 2018 MN Held 4 9,541 540 238,301
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 9, 2018 NC Held 3 9,297 539 238,057
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Mar 26, 2018 OR Held 2 3,085 538 231,845
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Feb 8, 2018 CA Held 1 1,704 537 230,464

1Sample Sources may include these types of establishments and samples:

  • Federal (verification; follow-up)
  • Retail (verification; follow-up)
  • State (verification; follow-up)
  • Import (verification; follow-up). For Import samples, the column “Where Collected” is defined as Country of Origin. <!–
  • Source may also refer to the type of product (beef, veal, or mixed), as listed on the product label.

    • –>

2Totals: “Total Positives” and “Total Samples Analyzed” are the totals since FSIS began its testing program to detect E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef on October 17, 1994.

The table below includes all positive results as of November 4, 2018.

Table 2. Raw Ground Beef Components (RGBC) Analyzed for Target STECs, Current Calendar Year3

Sample Source4 Collection Date Target STECs Where Collected Product Status Posi-
tives this Year		 Samples Analyzed this Year5 Total Posi-
tives		 Total Samples Analyzed6
Trim Verification, Beef Oct 18, 2018 O111 PA Held 19 6,594 415 59,239
Trim Verification, Beef Oct 9, 2018 O157:H7 SD Held 18 6,262 414 58,907
Trim Verification, Beef Sep 5, 2018 O157:H7 PA Held 17 5,641 413 58,286
Trim Verification, Beef Aug 14, 2018 O103 PA Held 16 5,018 412 57,663
Trim Verification, Beef Jun 6, 2018 O157:H7 MO Held 15 3,583 411 56,228
Trim Verification, Veal Jun 6, 2018 O26 PA Held 14 3,428 410 56,073
Follow-up to RGBC Positive, Beef May 30, 2018 O103 PA Held 13 3,266 409 55,911
Follow-up to RGBC Positive, Beef May 29, 2018 O103 PA Held 12 3,266 408 55,911
Trim Verification, Beef May 21, 2018 O157:H7 TX Held 11 3,147 407 55,792
Trim Verification, Beef May 16, 2018 O103 PA Held 10 2,968 406 55,613
Trim Verification, Beef May 15, 2018 O103 NY Held 9 2,968 405 55,613
Trim Verification, Beef May 9, 2018 O103 PA Held 8 2,968 404 55,613
Other RGBC Verification May 9, 2018 O157:H7 NE Held 7 2,968 403 55,613
Trim Verification, Beef Mar  19, 2018 O157:H7 NM Held 6 1,814 402 54,455
Trim Verification, Beef Mar 1, 2018 O121 ID Held 5 1,507 401 54,148
Trim Verification, Veal Feb 27, 2018 O103 WA Held 4 1,347 400 53,988
Follow-up to RGBC Positive, Beef Jan 27, 2018 O45 WI Held 3 583 400 53,225
Other RGBC Verification Jan 4, 2018 O157:H7 SD Held 2 107 399 52,749
Trim Verification, Beef Dec 28, 2017 O157:H7 WI Held 1 107 398 52,749

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli 045, E.coli O103, E.coli O104, E.coli O111, E.coli O121, E.coli O128, E.coli O145, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, E.coli O26, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, Uncategorized, VTEC

Research – European study: 33,000 deaths a year from resistant infections

Posted on November 13, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Cidrap

A team of European researchers estimates that more than 33,000 people in Europe die each year from antibiotic-resistant infections, and that the growing health burden of these infections is similar to that of influenza, tuberculosis, and HIV combined.

The results of the study, which calculated the incidence of five types of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 31 European Union/European Economic Activity (EU/EEA) countries and measured the impact of those infections in number of cases, attributable deaths, and overall health burden, were published yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The estimates are based on 2015 data from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net).

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Microbiology, Uncategorized

Research – FDA Report Released on Restaurant Foodborne Illness Factors

Posted on November 13, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The FDA has released findings from the first phase of a 10 year study that is looking at restaurant foodborne illness factors  in fast food restaurants and full service restaurants. The report looked at risk factors from 2013 to 2014. The first 10-year study was conducted between 1998 and 2008.

In the 2008 study, the FDA found that the restaurant foodborne illness factors that needed the most improvement were poor personal hygiene, improper food holding/time and temperature, and contaminated equipment and protection from contamination.

More than half of all food poisoning outbreaks in the U.S. every year are associated with restaurant food. In 2014, when looking at outbreaks linked to a single location, restaurants accounted for 485 outbreaks, or 65% of the total, and 4780 illnesses, or 44%. Many of these outbreaks led to lawsuits. The FDA at that time stated it needed more research to identify the root causes for these poor retail food safety practices, and to determine effective intervention strategies.

The restaurant foodborne illness risk factors that were listed for this study include employee handwashing, proper temperature control of perishable foods, improper food holding time, hand-to-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, cooking raw animal foods to safe final and required internal temperatures, contaminated equipment, and food obtained from unsafe sources.

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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 Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

UK – FSA -E. coli O157 cross-contamination guidance for food business operators and local authorities

Posted on November 12, 2018 by | Leave a comment

FSA

We welcome stakeholder views on the proposed amendments to our guidance document on the control of E. coli O157 and cross-contamination.

About this consultation

This consultation will be of interest to:

  • food businesses where ready-to-eat and raw foods are handled
  • local authority enforcement officers
  • trade bodies, such as The British Hospitality Association and the British Retail Consortium

Consultation subject

The subject of this consultation is guidance which assists local authorities and all types of businesses that handle both raw foods (that can be a source of pathogens including E. coli O157) and ready to eat foods. This includes best practice around hygiene, separation and safety measures to be taken to avoid cross-contamination.

Consultation purpose

Following a routine review of the E.coli O157 guidance, the guide has been moved to a new format to increase understanding and accessibility. There have been no changes to the policy, science or law.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, Uncategorized

South Africa – Durban Old Town Italy a Link in South African Salmonella Outbreak – What you need to know

Posted on November 12, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

 

Time’s consumer reporter, Wendy Knowler, reports that salmonella bacteria, most likely from contaminated eggs, has put at least 30 people in the greater Durban area in hospital, and sickened many more.

Social media reports posted by people who’d contracted salmonellosis after eating at the upmarket Old Town Italy restaurant in Umhlanga – mostly meals including hollandaise sauce – raised the alarm, but the outbreak of the past few weeks goes far beyond one restaurant.

In addition, four children attending a Cowies Hill creche were confirmed by doctors to have salmonellosis; seven people who attended a private lunch ended up in Hillcrest Private Hospital for almost a week after eating a dessert made with egg; a Florida Road restaurant closed for two days after its patrons reported falling ill and many pharmacies in the greater Durban area have reported a sudden spike in the demand for diarrhoea medication.

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