Contamination of food by microbes is a public health concern around the world. Episodes of food poisoning due to microbial contamination have led to a large number food recalls over the years, particularly of meat products that have caused outbreaks of dangerous illness.
Posted in Uncategorized
A new study from the University of Waterloo highlights a low level of awareness among youth around the proper precautions they need to take when it comes to handling food.
The study measured 32 different food-handling behaviours among Ontario high school students in grades 10 to 12. It found that fewer than 50 per cent of the recommended practices were followed by students, including basic hand hygiene and procedures to prevent cross-contamination.
“High school students represent the next generation of food handlers, but they are not well studied,” said Ken Diplock, who led the research while at Waterloo. “They are just starting to prepare food on their own and for others, and they’re also beginning to work in the food industry.
“It’s important to get to students before they develop bad habits.”
In a follow-up on the hepatitis A outbreak in Nashville, TN, Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) officials confirmed 34 cases of hepatitis A have occurred in Nashville since December 2017.
“Metro Public Health Department staff, working with multiple community partners, continue to plan additional opportunities to offer the hepatitis A vaccine to the at-risk communities,” said Rachel Franklin, Interim Director of Communicable Disease and Emergency Preparedness. “This week we added three vaccination clinics to reach people experiencing homelessness. Our staff vaccinated nearly 200 among the at-risk group at last weekend’s PRIDE Festival and we are planning additional locations to offer the vaccine in the coming weeks to reach the MSM community.”
The Health Department has worked with the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission staff on a hepatitis A vaccine campaign to reach the homeless. That initial vaccination effort began June 18 and will run through July 6. The Health Department added three additional locations since last week, including the Room in the Inn and the Nashville Rescue Mission. The homeless outreach is in addition to the ongoing vaccination efforts at MPHD clinics and Neighborhood Health clinics.
Posted in Hepatitis A, Uncategorized
With the hot weather comes an increase in flies, but when you’re brushing off a pesky fly when you’re enjoying your lunch outside, you might want to think again before you carry on eating your food.
It turns out what happens when a fly lands is pretty disgusting. First of all, flies have no teeth. This means instead of taking a bite of your food, they regurgitate saliva on it. The saliva liquefies the food for them to slurp back up.
And not only do they vomit on your food immediately after landing, flies also enjoy feasting on rotting meat and faeces, leaving them on their feet and body, this bacteria is also left behind on your food.
According to the Science Insider , flies can transmit over 65 diseases to humans including typhoid fever, cholera, and tuberculosis .
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 13; Tot. = 15 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands
RASFF -aflatoxins (Tot. = 14 µg/kg – ppb) and ochratoxin A (47 µg/kg – ppb) in grinded ground nutmeg from Indonesia in the Netherlands
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 4.4 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from Argentina in the Netherlands
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 29.6; Tot. = 40 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Greece in Poland
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 11.30; Tot. = 16.31 µg/kg – ppb) in ginger powder from Nigeria, via Poland in Slovakia
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 24 µg/kg – ppb) in bitter almond kernels from Turkey in Spain
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 22; Tot. = 23 µg/kg – ppb) in crushed chillies from Sri Lanka in the UK
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 161; Tot. = 180 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio nuts with shell from Iran in Greece
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 22; Tot. = 28 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from India in the Netherlands
RASFF-Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins (166.3 µg/kg – ppb) in tellinas from France in France
RASFF-blanched groundnut kernels from Argentina infested with moulds in the Netherlands
RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+; eae- /25g) in chilled beef from Belgium in Belgium
RASFF-high count of Enterobacteriaceae (47000 CFU/g) in goji berries from China, via Germany in Austria
