Category Archives: Uncategorized

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 54.5 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts for birdfeed from China in the UK

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 73 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels for birdfeed from India in Germany

RASFF-too high count of Enterobacteriaceae (350 CFU/g) in lamb meal from New Zealand in Germany

RASFF-Salmonella (present /25g) in blood meal from France in France

RASFF-Salmonella (presence /25g) in poultry and porcine meal from Spain in Spain

FDA

Fast Facts

• The FDA advises consumers not to eat recalled Coconut Tree Brand Frozen Shredded Coconut because the product has the potential to cause salmonellosis.
• The recalled frozen shredded coconut has been linked to 27 salmonellosis illnesses from nine states, the CDC reports. Illnesses range from January 9, 2017, to November 4, 2017. This outbreak appears to be over.
• Multiple coconut samples tested by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health were positive for Salmonella, including the same strain of Salmonella that caused illnesses.
• On Jan. 3, 2018, Evershing International Trading Company announced a recall of its 16 ounce packages of Coconut Tree Brand Frozen Shredded Coconut currently on the market. This coconut product was distributed in Ohio, Massachusetts, Washington, California, Oklahoma, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Florida, and Texas.

Food Poisoning Journal 

Saginaw County has joined a growing number of counties affected by an ongoing hepatitis A outbreak in southeast Michigan that has hospitalized hundreds and killed more than two dozen.Officials with the Saginaw County Department of Public Health announced there have been two confirmed cases of the disease in Saginaw County linked to the outbreak.

Food Poisoning Journal

The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) and the Casper-Natrona County Health Department continue to investigate a growing Natrona County hepatitis A outbreak that began in October.Since October, 14 cases have been confirmed among Natrona County residents, which is a significant increase over the usual total for Wyoming. Previously, the long-term average statewide was two cases annually with the last reported local Hepatitis A infection in 2012.

Food Poisoning Journal

Clay County and Arkansas health officials will be hosting a series of walk-in clinics over the next few days to give vaccinations to people who may have been exposed to Hepatitis A while eating at a local restaurant last month.

Food Poisoning Journal 

As of 14 February 2018, 872 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases have been reported to NICD from all provinces since 01 January 2017 (Figure 1). Most cases have been reported from Gauteng Province (59%, 517/872) followed by Western Cape (13%, 111/872) and KwaZulu-Natal (7%, 62/872) provinces. Cases have been diagnosed in both public (64%, 559/872) and private (34%, 205/872) healthcare sectors. Diagnosis was based most commonly on the isolation of Listeria monocytogenes in blood culture (73%, 640/869), followed by CSF (22%, 183/869). Where age was reported (n=849), ages range from birth to 92 years (median 23 years) and 43% (352/829) are neonates aged ≤28 days (Figure 2). Of neonatal cases, 97% (342/346) had early-onset disease (birth to ≤6 days). Females account for 53% (466/868) of cases where gender is reported. Outcome is known for 597/872 (68%) patients of whom 164 (27%) have died.

Food Safety tech

Norovirus has returned to the headlines following the latest outbreak at the PyeongChang Olympics in South Korea. Researchers at Bionano Laboratory in Guelph, Canada are trying to prevent such outbreaks with the development of a nanotechnology-based biosensor that can identify foodborne viruses at the point of care.

“Our nanotech biosensor boasts of a microfluidic platform duly integrated with graphene-gold nano-composite aptasensor that has shown to help with one-step norovirus detection. We have been able to detection the norovirus with in an hour with superior sensitivity with our state-of-the art device.” – Suresh Neethirajan, Bionano Lab

Designed for use in the field, the paper-based microfluidic device has a screen-printed carbon electrode that enables electrochemical virus detection within an hour. Its chip is packed with silica microbeads zones to filter and enrich a Norovirus-infected sample. The researchers also state that the biosensor is designed to be simple and cost effective. They have published two papers demonstrating the effectiveness of the device, one in Microchimica Acta (Apramer-based fluorometric determination of norovirus using paper-based microfluidic device) and the other in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

CDC

In August 2016, a local public health agency (LPHA) notified the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) of two culture-confirmed cases of Campylobacter infection among persons who consumed raw (unpasteurized) milk from the same herdshare dairy. In Colorado, the sale of raw milk is illegal; however, herdshare programs, in which a member can purchase a share of a herd of cows or goats, are legal and are not regulated by state or local authorities. In coordination with LPHAs, CDPHE conducted an outbreak investigation that identified 12 confirmed and five probable cases of Campylobacter jejuni infection. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns for the 10 cases with available isolates were identical using the enzyme Sma. In addition, two milk samples (one from the dairy and one obtained from an ill shareholder) also tested positive for the outbreak strain. Five C. jejuni isolates sent to CDC for antimicrobial susceptibility testing were resistant to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and nalidixic acid (1). Although shareholders were notified of the outbreak and cautioned against drinking the milk on multiple occasions, milk distribution was not discontinued. Although its distribution is legal through herdshare programs, drinking raw milk is inherently risky (2). The role of public health in implementing control measures associated with a product that is known to be unsafe remains undefined.

Food Poisoning Journal 

According to the Arkansas Department of Health, officials are warning of a possible Hepatitis A exposure after a Taco Bell employee in Corning tested positive for the virus.In a statement, officials asked that anyone who has eaten food at the restaurant between Jan. 24 and Feb. 7, 2018 and is having symptoms should call their doctor immediately.

Also, officials said they believe there is no known risk for anyone who ate at the restaurant after Feb. 7 at this time.

Outbreak News Today

In a follow-up to a report last week, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh (UW-Oshkosh) said a total of 140 people self-reported norovirus-like symptoms Sunday and Monday.

They follow by saying the number of cases is not cause for alarm. The University will not cancel classes or close campus due to a norovirus outbreak.

Custodial crews are working around the clock to disinfect campus buildings and protect students and staff against the spread of norovirus.

Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. The norovirus can last up to 48 hours, and individuals are still contagious for 48 hours after symptoms subside. The only way to prevent the spread of norovirus is through hand washing, disinfecting and staying home if you are ill: