Research – Campylobacter jejuni in Vacuum Packaged Processed Turkey

Posted on June 9, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

This study evaluated the effect of vacuum packaged storage at 4°C upon survival of Campylobacter jejuni in processed turkey roll and turkey ham. Turkey ham and turkey roll samples were sliced, inoculated with C. jejuni, vacuum packaged, and stored at 4°C for up to 28 d. Three different strains of C. jejuni were evaluated. After appropriate incubation, the inoculated samples were analyzed for culturable C. jejuni. Control samples were analyzed for aerobic plate count and enterococci. Culturable C. jejuni decreased significantly during vacuum packaged storage at 4°C over time (P<0.05). A significant difference in viability existed between the three test strains used (P<0.05). Higher levels of C. jejuni were detected in the turkey roll than the turkey ham. Aerobic plate counts and enterococci increased significantly during storage (P<0.05) providing competition for C. jejuni. Though survival of C. jejuni decreased over time, greater than 500 viable cells per gram were detected with some strains for up to 28 d.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Campylobacter jejuni, Food Microbiology Research, Research

Research – Bacteria Can Transfer from Plastic Mulch to Basil and Spinach Salad Leaves

Posted on June 9, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Natural Science

Key Findings

  • The University of Stirling study found that human pathogens can transfer from plastic mulch fragments to ready-to-eat crops like basil and spinach within 24 hours
  • Pathogens such as Salmonella Typhimurium and Vibrio cholerae can persist on plastic mulch fragments for up to 14 days
  • The study highlights that removing plastic fragments and washing crops may not be enough to eliminate these pathogens, stressing the need for better management practices in agriculture
Plastic pollution is increasingly found in agricultural environments, where it contaminates soil and crops. A recent study from the University of Stirling[1] examined whether human pathogens can transfer from plastic mulch fragments to ready-to-eat crop plants, posing a risk to food safety and human health. The study focused on two pathogens, Salmonella Typhimurium and Vibrio cholerae, and found that both could persist on plastic mulch fragments for 14 days and transfer to the leaves of basil and spinach within 24 hours. This finding is significant as it highlights a new pathway for pathogen contamination in fresh produce, which has been a persistent issue with severe health, economic, and social impacts[2]. The study’s results suggest that even removing plastic fragments and washing crops may not be sufficient to eliminate these pathogens, emphasizing the need for better management practices in agricultural systems that use plastic mulches. Previous research has shown that biodegradable plastic films, although more environmentally friendly, can degrade rapidly and potentially release more microplastics into the soil compared to conventional films[3]. These microplastics can alter soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling, potentially affecting plant health and crop productivity. The University of Stirling study expands on this by demonstrating that these microplastics can also serve as vectors for human pathogens, further complicating the issue. Moreover, the degradation of plastic fragments in soil is highly variable, with some commercial polymer mixtures taking up to 48 days to degrade, while biodegradable formulations can degrade completely within 32 days[4]. The incorporation of plant growth-promoting bacteria like Bacillus subtilis can even accelerate this process. However, the rapid degradation of biodegradable plastics also means they can release pathogens more quickly into the environment, posing a continuous risk. Another concern is the contamination of agricultural soils through fertilizers composted from livestock and poultry manure, which often contain microplastics[5]. These microplastics can enter the soil and potentially carry pathogens, adding another layer of complexity to managing plastic pollution in agricultural settings. The University of Stirling study underscores the urgent need to address the co-pollutant pathogen risk associated with plastic pollution in agriculture. As the demand for intensive food production grows, so does the use of plastic mulches, making it crucial to understand and mitigate the risks they pose to food safety and human health. This research calls for improved agricultural practices and further studies to develop effective strategies for managing plastic pollution and its associated risks in food production systems.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research

Research – Cold plasma processing for food safety

Posted on June 8, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

 Cold plasma is an emerging food processing technology which has been shown to effectively inactivate pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. The process uses high-voltage electricity to ionize air and/or defined gas blends to create a mixture of ions, free electrons, ozone, radical species, and other reactive products. This energetic plasma, which operates near room temperature, has been tested with fruits, vegetables, nuts, meats, cheeses, poultry, seeds, powders, and other foods.

Once created at the high voltage electrodes, the cold plasma is applied to foods and food contact surfaces. Forced air can blow the cold plasma over products and surfaces, as with plasma jet systems. This allows for the varying treatment distances of irregularly shaped foods. The commodity may also be moved in and out of the plasma field, as with dielectric barrier (DBD) systems. In either case, reactive chemical species in the cold plasma break the cellular structures, DNA, and proteins of pathogens on foods, inactivating them. Efficacy is dependent on treatment intensity and duration. Combining cold plasma with chemical sanitizers, high intensity light, or other food safety interventions can provide enhanced, synergistic pathogen inactivation. Short treatments with cold plasma can induce sublethal injury in pathogens, rendering them more susceptible to another sanitizing processes.

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Posted in Cold Atmospheric Plasma, Cold Plasma, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Hurdle Technology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Technology

Research – Acid Adaptation Enhances Tolerance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma in Raw Pineapple Juice

Posted on June 8, 2024 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Pathogens that adapt to environmental stress can develop an increased tolerance to some physical or chemical antimicrobial treatments. The main objective of this study was to determine if acid adaptation increased the tolerance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to high voltage atmospheric cold plasma (HVACP) in raw pineapple juice. Samples (10 mL) of juice were inoculated with non-acid-adapted (NAA) or acid-adapted (AA) E. coli to obtain a viable count of ~7.00 log10 CFU/mL. The samples were exposed to HVACP (70 kV) for 1–7 min, with inoculated non-HVACP-treated juice serving as a control. Juice samples were analyzed for survivors at 0.1 h and after 24 h of refrigeration (4 °C). Samples analyzed after 24 h exhibited significant decreases in viable NAA cells with sub-lethal injury detected in both NAA and AA survivors (p < 0.05). No NAA survivor in juice exposed to HVACP for 5 or 7 min was detected after 24 h. However, the number of AA survivors was 3.33 and 3.09 log10 CFU/mL in juice treated for 5 and 7 min, respectively (p < 0.05). These results indicate that acid adaptation increases the tolerance of E. coli to HVACP in pineapple juice. The potentially higher tolerance of AA E. coli O157:H7 to HVACP should be considered in developing safe juice processing parameters for this novel non-thermal technology.

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Posted in Cold Atmospheric Plasma, Cold Plasma, E.coli, E.coli O157:H7, Enteropathogenic E. coli, ETEC E.coli, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Hurdle Technology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research

Sweden – Scan recalls Classic Grill Sausage 640g – may contain Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Livsmedelsverket

As a precautionary measure, Scan Classic Grill Sausage 640g is recalling with product Wednesday 2024-05-31 and best-before date 2024-06-30 as the product may contain listeria.

Read more in the press release from Scan Sverige AB (cision.com)

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes

Belgium – Mozzarella di buffala campana mini [120g] from the Carrefour Extra brand – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

AFSCA

Mozzarella Carrefour

Following an inspection and in order to guarantee consumer safety, the Carrefour company requests that the product “mozzarella di buffala campana mini” (120g) of the Carrefour Extra brand, sold in the creamery section of certain Carrefour stores in Belgium and reminds consumers following the possible presence of listeria monocytogenes.

Product description:
Name: MOZZARELLA DI BUFFALA CAMPANA AOP MINI (120G)
Brand: CARREFOUR EXTRA
EAN: 3560070949083
Expiration date: 06/15/2024 Batch number: L137

All products have been withdrawn from sale. Some of these products were, however, marketed on the Belgian market before the withdrawal measure. It is therefore recommended that people who have the products described above not consume them and destroy them or return them to the point of sale where they will be refunded.
People who have consumed the products mentioned above and who have a fever, isolated or accompanied by headaches, are invited to consult their doctor and report this consumption. These symptoms may be aggravated in young children, immunocompromised individuals and the elderly. These symptoms may suggest listeriosis, a disease which can be serious and has an incubation period of up to eight weeks.

For any further information , you can contact Carrefour Belgium consumer service by dialing the free number 0800.9.10.11, from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused.

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes

France – Additional Batches – Sardine with olive oil and chili pepper – Bacterial Contamination

Posted on June 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Gov France

Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Fishing and aquaculture products
Product brand name
Parmentier
Model names or references
Sardines Parmentier hand-canned “olive oil and chili” 135g Sardines Parmentier hand-canned “olive oil and chili” 135g in batches of 4
Product identification
GTIN Date
3019081238650 Minimum durability date 03/27/2029
3019089044680 Minimum durability date 03/27/2029
Packaging
/
Start/end date of marketing
From 05/24/2024 to 06/03/2024
Storage temperature
Product to be stored at room temperature
Health mark
PT C.241.1P CE
Further information
/
Geographical sales area
Whole France
Distributors
AUCHAN CARREFOUR INTERMARCHE LECLERC SYSTEM U

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Posted in bacterial contamination, cross contamination, food contamination, food recall, microbial contamination, product recall, Recall

France – CHOCOLATE ECLAIR – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Gov France

Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Cereals and bakery products
Product brand name
DESSERISIMES®
Model names or references
CHOCOLATE
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
26066912 141530015 Use-by date 06/17/2024
Packaging
2X75G=150G
Start/end date of marketing
From 06/03/2024 to 06/07/2024
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the refrigerator
Geographical sales area
Regions: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Brittany, Centre-Val de Loire, Grand-Est, Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France, Normandy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie, Pays-de- la-Loire, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Distributors
ALDI

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria France, Listeria monocytogenes

France – MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA CAMPANA PDO MINI – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Gov France

Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Milk and dairy products
Product brand name
CARREFOUR EXTRA
Model names or references
MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA CAMPANA AOP MINI CARREFOUR EXTRA – 120g jar
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
3560070949083 L 137 Use-by date 06/15/2024
Packaging
120g jar
Start/end date of marketing
From 05/21/2024 to 06/06/2024
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the refrigerator
Health mark
IT 15 332 CE
Further information
IT 15 332 CE
Geographical sales area
Whole France
Distributors
Crossroads

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria France, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes

France – Cow Tomme – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 7, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Gov France

Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Milk and dairy products
Product brand name
The Grands Villepins farm
Model names or references
Reblochon-style cow’s tomme
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
3760263450208 All lots Minimum durability date between 05/09/2024 and 06/18/2024
Packaging
350g
Start/end date of marketing
From 05/09/2024 to 05/28/2024
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the refrigerator
Health mark
FR37.158.014CE
Geographical sales area
Departments: INDRE-ET-LOIRE (37), LOIR-ET-CHER (41)
Distributors
Lochoise Flavors, From My Lands, O near the Peasants

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria France, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes