Category Archives: Uncategorized

USA – Ham, Lard, and Jerky Recalled

Posted on June 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Three recalls issued by the USDA in the last few days have affected ham, jerky, and pork lard. No illnesses or adverse reactions have been reported in connection with these recalls.

The first recall is for Quay Corporation, recalling pork lard that was produced without federal inspection. About 258,121 pounds of the product are recalled.

The second recall is for Land O’Frost ham products that were misbranded. The front of the package is labeled as Black Forest Ham, and the back is labeled as Honey Smoked Turkey Breast.  The recall was issued after a consumer complaint.

The third recall is for 13m554 pounds of People’s Sausage elk, bison, and beef jerky products that were produced without an approved voluntary grant of inspection. These shelf stable elk and bison jerky and meat stick products were produced on dates from May 3, 2016 to June 15, 2018.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Recall, Uncategorized

USA – Officials confirm Norovirus as cause of illnesses at Highlands County summer camp

Posted on June 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

CBS12 Norovirus Food Safety kswfoodworld

 

LAKE PLACID, Fla. (CBS12) — Norovirus has been found as the cause of illnesses that sent dozens of children and adults to the hospital last week, the Florida Health Department of Highlands County said.

Thirty-six people were sickened at Camp Cloverleaf last Thursday after swimming in a nearby lake.

Norovirus is a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness that is easily exchanged from person-to-person, according to FDOH. It can spread rapidly in closed environments, like a summer camp. People can become sick by eating or drinking contaminated food or liquids, touching surfaces or objects that are contaminated by the virus and then placing their hand in their mouth or by direct contact with an infected person.

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Posted in Food Illness, Illness, Norovirus, Uncategorized

Russia – Georgia – Mass poisoning at a wedding in Georgia: admitted about 100 people – Salmonella

Posted on June 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

BOBR Times

In the Georgian Batumi at the wedding were about 100 people. This was reported by the TV channel Rustavi 2.It is reported that all the injured were taken to a local hospital.

It is noted that the cause of poisoning are the bacteria Salmonella, it is not reported exactly which dish they could be.Director of the Center for public health of Adjara Nino Nizharadze said that the bacteria Salmonella could be a cream cake, if temperature for storage of dairy products broke.

At the same time in the food Agency of the country declare that when the experts of the Agency came to the restaurant, where the wedding, the food was gone.

As previously reported “FACTS” in the Russian Federation the staff of the Mariinsky theatre poisoned chicken liver with Salmonella.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Illness, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

UK – Birmingham and Hyndburn ranked as UK areas with worst food hygiene

Posted on June 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

The Guardian

Birmingham city council and Hyndburn borough council have been ranked as the worst areas in the UK for poor standards of hygiene in their cafes and restaurants, for the second year running, a new analysis has revealed.

Consumer group Which? said the enforcement regime was buckling under “huge strain”, with under-resourced local authorities struggling to cope with soaring complaints from the public – about dirty conditions and food poisoning, for example – and facing an increase in their workload because of Brexit.

Using official data collected by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Which? analysed and ranked 390 local authorities across the UK. The benchmarks it used were the percentage of food businesses deemed to be at “high and medium risk” that were compliant with food hygiene standards; the percentage of premises opened but not visited or rated for risk; and interventions needed that had actually been carried out.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Safety, Food Testing, Uncategorized

India – Students hospitalised in Kerala following suspected food poisoning

Posted on June 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

New Indian Express

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Of the four students of Ponnara Sreedhar Memorial UP School, Muttathara, hospitalised for suspected food poisoning, the condition of one is said to be critical. The students were hospitalised after they developed various health issues, including vomiting, after consuming egg and milk from the school at lunch on Wednesday.

By Friday, they were all admitted to various hospitals in the city. Since there was no improvement in their health, the four were shifted to SAT Hospital on Saturday. Though the health of three students improved, a Class V student was shifted to a ventilator after her condition turned worse. Corporation officials visited the school and promised action against those who were responsible for the issue.

 

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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 Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

Hong Kong – Stop consuming two kinds of prepackaged anchovy fillets detected with histamine

Posted on June 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

CFS   

Issue Date 25.6.2018
Source of Information Centre for Food Safety (CFS)
Food Product Prepackaged anchovy fillets
Product Name and Description (1) Product name: Filetti di Acciughe in Olio d’Oliva con Tartwfo (Anchovy Fillets with Truffle in Olive Oil)
Brand: TartufLanghe
Place of origin: Italy
Net weight: 90 grams per pack
Best before date: August 31, 2018

(2) Product name: Flat Fillets of Anchovies With Capers in Olive Oil
Brand: ROCCA
Place of origin: Italy
Net weight: 100 grams per bottle
Best before date: July 31, 2019
Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The CFS collected the two abovementioned samples from the city’super supermarket in Causeway Bay for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the samples contained histamine at levels of 220 milligram (mg) per 100 gram (g) and 260mg per 100g respectively.
  • Histamine is commonly found in certain kinds of fish such as tuna, sardine, mackerel and anchovy, as a result of bacterial spoilage. Consumption of fish containing high levels of histamine can cause foodborne intoxication. Symptoms of histamine poisoning include tingling and burning sensation around the mouth, facial flushing and sweating, nausea, vomiting, headache, palpitations, dizziness and rash. The onset of intoxication symptoms is within a few hours after consumption and these symptoms will normally disappear in 12 hours without long term effect, the spokesman noted.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularities. The vendor has removed from shelves and stopped sale of the affected products, and initiated a recall according to CFS’ instructions.
  • The CFS will alert the trade to the incident and will continue to monitor the case and take appropriate follow-up action. Investigation is ongoing.
Advice to the Trade
  • Stop using or selling the affected products immediately if possess them.
Advice to Consumers
  • Not to consume the two abovementioned prepackaged anchovy fillets.
  • Call the vendor’s hotline at 2736 3866 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.
Further Information The CFS press release

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Histamine, Uncategorized

Research – Native bacterial communities and Listeria monocytogenes survival in soils collected from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada

Posted on June 26, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Canadian Journal of Microbiology

Soil is an important reservoir for Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen implicated in numerous produce-related outbreaks. Our objectives were to (i) compare the survival of L. monocytogenes among three soils, (ii) compare the native bacterial communities across these soils, and (iii) investigate relationships between L. monocytogenes survival, native bacterial communities, and soil properties. Listeria spp. populations were monitored on PALCAM agar in three soils inoculated with L. monocytogenes (∼5 × 106 CFU/g): conventionally farmed (CS), grassland transitioning to conventionally farmed (TS), and uncultivated grassland (GS). Bacterial diversity of the soils was analyzed using 16S rRNA targeted amplicon sequencing. A 2 log reduction of Listeria spp. was observed in all soils within 10 days, but at a significantly lower rate in GS (Fisher’s least significant difference test; p < 0.05). Survival correlated with increased moisture and a neutral pH. GS showed the highest microbial diversity. Acidobacteria was the dominant phylum differentiating CS and TS from GS, and was negatively correlated with pH, carbon, nitrogen, and moisture. High moisture content and neutral pH are likely to increase the ability of L. monocytogenes to persist in soil. This study confirmed that native bacterial communities and short-term survival of L. monocytogenes varies across soils.

 

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Posted in Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis, Uncategorized

Research- Researchers warn against raw milk, cheese after testing dairies

Posted on June 26, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News 

Image CDC

Research recently published by scientists in The Netherlands shows that E. coli and Campylobacter bacteria are so common on goat and sheep dairy farms that pasteurization is necessary to prevent contamination of raw milk and products made with it.The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment and the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority joined forces for the project. The government agencies annually investigate how common pathogens of zoonoses are on different types farms. Cattle, meat pig and laying hen operations have already been examined.

For the recent report, scientists looked at 181 dairy goat farms and 24 dairy sheep farms. Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Campylobacter bacteria was found on most of the animals. The pathogens were also found among farmers and their family members.

“STEC appeared on virtually all the farms studied,” according to the research report.

“Campylobacter has been demonstrated in one out of three goat farms (33 percent) and almost all sheep farms (96 percent).”

Listeria was less common. It was found on about 9 percent of the goat farms and 17 percent of the sheep farms. It was not found in farmers and their families. The percentage of farms with Listeria is relevant, the researchers wrote, because “unpasteurized soft cheese is the most important source of Listeria infection in humans.”

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Posted in Campylobacter, E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese, STEC, Uncategorized

USA – Agri Star Meat And Poultry LLC Recalls Beef Pastrami Products due to Possible Processing Deviation

Posted on June 25, 2018 by | Leave a comment

FSIS USDA

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2018 – Agri Star Meat and Poultry LLC, a Postville, Iowa establishment, is recalling approximately 3,592 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) beef pastrami products due to processing deviations that may have led to underprocessing of products and resulted in inadequate curing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The RTE beef pastrami items were produced on April 3 and April 4, 2018.

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Posted in Uncategorized

USA – Possible E. coli Outbreak at Mexico Viejo Restaurant in Taylorsville, NC

Posted on June 25, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A possible E. coli outbreak is being investigated at Mexico Viejo restaurant in Taylorsville, North Carolina. Health Director Leeanne Whisnant told news outlets that more than 30 people are sick after eating chicken at that facility. One person has tested positive for an E. coli infection.

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized